Finland on Tuesday became the first country in the world to offer vaccinations for bird flu, as public health officials warn of a potential outbreak.
According to The-Express.com, Finland has procured enough two-dose vaccines, produced by CSL Seqirus, for 10,000 people as part of an EU agreement securing 40 million doses for 15 nations.
Finnish health authorities hailed the jab procurement and said it will be distributed to adult patients on a voluntary basis, stating, “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 jabs are projected to be distributed next week.
Although there’ve been no documented cases of zoonotic animal-to-human transmission of avian influenza in Finland, the country ostensibly claims it’s taking steps to prevent a potential outbreak due to its numerous fur farms.
“The conditions in Finland are very different in that we have fur farms where the animals can end up in contact with wildlife,” said Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare Chief Physician Hanna Nohynek.
The US government also ordered 4.8 doses of CSL Seqirus cell-based adjuvanted H5 bird flu vaccine earlier this month.
While cases of bird flu in humans are rare, the establishment has made the disease their latest cause célèbre, with public health figures claiming it has the potential to become the next “great pandemic,” and sparking fears among consumers of beef and dairy products.
Meanwhile, the Council on Foreign Relations globalist think tank has called it “alarming” that the public is no longer as receptive to mask mandates and social distancing amid a potential bird flu outbreak.