Finland To Begin Bird Flu Vaccinations For Vulnerable Workers, First Country To Do So

Health authorities announced on Tuesday that Finland will start vaccinating certain workers against bird flu next week, becoming the first country to do so.

The country has secured vaccines for 10,000 people as part of a European Union effort to obtain up to 40 million doses for 15 countries from CSL Seqirus, the vaccine manufacturer.

In a statement, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) said, “The vaccine will be offered to those aged 18 or over who are at increased risk of contracting avian influenza due to their work or other circumstances.”

The H5N1 strain of bird flu has led to the deaths or culling of millions of poultry globally and has been spreading to mammals and occasionally to humans.

Although Finland has not detected the virus in humans, it is taking precautionary measures due to the potential risks from its fur farms.

Vaccinations are expected to begin next week in some areas, a THL spokesperson told Reuters. Those eligible for the vaccination include workers at fur and poultry farms, lab technicians handling bird flu samples, and veterinarians in regions with fur farms. THL said workers in wildlife sanctuaries, livestock farms, and animal by-product processing plants will also be offered the vaccine.

If a human infection of avian influenza is detected, close contact with the infected person will also be vaccinated, THL added.

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