The influenza vaccine production process is long and complicated. Traditional influenza vaccine production for the U.S. relies on long-standing technology based on chicken eggs. This production technology is labor-intensive and takes 9 months from start to finish. The flu vaccine production process is further complicated by the fact that influenza virus strains continually evolve.

Industry is already moving towards increasing vaccine production capacity substantially, based on expected increase of the market demand for seasonal vaccine. It is expected that current capacity could nearly double by 2009. We will have a better idea of how to maximize the number of potentially available doses of vaccine from current production capacity. We will see the results of efforts to move towards newer technologies such as those using cell-based production and other novel techniques.

Vaccine production is a complicated process and lengthy process. The process can only begin once the virus is present in the human population. Options to speed up the production of an effective pandemic vaccine are currently being evaluated by the US government

The influenza vaccine is a killed virus vaccine containing three strains of influenza virus, two of Influenza A, and one of Influenza B. The strain components are changed annually based upon worldwide surveillance of circulating influenza strains.

No. Federal officials have contracted with a manufacturer to produce a small supply of human vaccine against H5N1 bird flu, and clinical trials are underway. The vaccine might not be effective if the H5N1 virus changes to a strain that more easily infects humans.

Currently there is no Avian Influenza Vaccines available for an influenza pandemic. The exact pandemic influenza virus cannot be identified before a pandemic, and current vaccine-making techniques require six to eight months to manufacture influenza vaccine. Questions and Answers: H5N1 Avian Flu Vaccine Trials The federal government’s goal is to have enough vaccine for everyone, but supplies will probably be limited in the early stages of a pandemic.

No. Although the capability does exist for scientists to produce vaccines against almost all known human flu viruses, the problem they face with the current threat is that they cannot predict the strain of any new hybrid mutations that may emerge. Once an outbreak occurs that is caused by a new strain, scientists will be able to rapidly identify the new virus and work towards creating a vaccine.

When there is a good match between the influenza strains in the vaccine and the influenza strains circulating in the community, the vaccine can prevent influenza illness in about 70% to 90% of healthy children and adults. Studies have shown that influenza immunization decreases the incidence of pneumonia, hospital admission and death in the elderly. Physician visits, hospitalization and death in high-risk persons less than 65 years of age are also reduced.

Influenza vaccines are designed to protect against specific viruses that have already been identified, so a pandemic vaccine cannot be produced until a new influenza virus emerges and starts to cause a significant number of human illnesses. A virus that could cause a pandemic would be very different from the seasonal flu viruses for which there is already vaccine.

A global network of laboratories allows the four World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centres on Influenza (Atlanta, London, Melbourne and Tokyo) to identify the viruses circulating around the world. The vaccines are updated annually based on this information so that they include the influenza virus strains that are most likely to cause widespread and severe illness.

Influenza vaccine cannot prevent avian influenza as the vaccine was meant for human influenza. However, the vaccine can help reduce the chance of complications and hospitalization from human influenza; hence it is recommended for the elderly and patients with chronic illnesses. Influenza vaccine can also reduce the chance of genetic re-assortment and subsequent emergence of influenza strain with pandemic potential.

Most individuals will experience no side effects from the influenza vaccine. Less than one-third of those who receive the vaccine will have some soreness at the vaccination site, and about 5% to 10% will experience a headache or a mild fever. The most serious side effect that can occur after an influenza vaccination is an allergic reaction in individuals who have a severe allergy to eggs. For that reason, people who have an allergy to eggs should not receive the influenza vaccine.

The recommended time to receive the influenza vaccine is October to mid-November before influenza season starts. This will give your body time to build protection against the influenza virus. However, vaccine can still be administered up until the end of the influenza season.

Yes, according to guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, first responders and other healthcare personnel are some of the priority groups that will receive the vaccine against pandemic influenza when it becomes available. All properly worn personal protective equipment should protect the wearer. However, it is never possible to assure safety with 100 % certainty.

the moment, there is no vaccine for people. An H5N1 vaccine is being developed against the current H5N1 viruses. However, as these viruses will have to change to cause a pandemic, this vaccine may not then be effective.

You need to monitor your health for signs and symptoms of mumps disease, and if you experience any of these signs or symptoms, you should seek a medical assessment, advising them of the date of vaccination and dates of contact with the case.

A specific vaccine will take at least 4 to 6 months to produce after the pandemic has emerged. The advanced supply contracts for pandemic specific vaccine were signed with Glaxo SmithKline (GSK) and Baxter in July 2007. The contracts are worth in total ?155.4 million over four years, and are part of the continued work to prepare for and reduce the impact of a possible flu pandemic.

Many groups around the world are working to develop malaria vaccines. A list of candidate vaccines in clinical trials and their developers can be found at http://www.who.int/vaccine_research/documents/en/malaria_table.pdf

Influenza vaccines are designed to protect against a specific virus, so a pandemic vaccine cannot be produced until a new pandemic influenza virus emerges and is identified. Even after a pandemic influenza virus has been identified, it could take at least 6 months to develop, test and produce vaccine.

Currently, Sanofi Pasteur and Medimmune have influenza vaccine production facilities in the United States, although only Sanofi Pasteur?s entire production process is based in this country. HHS has made the establishment and expansion of U.S.-based manufacturing facilities for influenza vaccine a key component of its strategy to improve the security of the influenza vaccine supply.

No, influenza vaccines are designed to protect against a specific virus, so a pandemic vaccine cannot be produced until a new pandemic influenza virus emerges and is identified. Even after a pandemic influenza virus has been identified, it could take at least 6 months to develop, test and produce vaccine.

No. The vaccine contains no live virus so you cannot get the flu from the vaccine. However, the vaccine will not protect you against colds and other respiratory illnesses that may be mistaken for the flu.