The Avian Influenza Vaccine

Ever since the outbreak of the new strain of influenza virus, vaccines have been made in an attempt to prevent the disease from occurring. Many years ago, the influenza virus vaccine evolved to provide immunity against the simplest cases of influenza. But ever since the fatal strain came out, scientists and experimentalists alike made another type of vaccine for influenza, and this time, it is for immunity against the deadly avian flu.

When Did The Influenza Vaccine Come Out?

Because of the gradual rise of avian flu cases, an influenza vaccine for this type of flu has been made. In the year 2007, the Food and Drug Administration approved its use. Even though the FDA has approved it, the U.S. government is still holding it in stockpile for more tests. Currently, the vaccine is not recommended to the public because it is still undergoing tests by several health agencies. Although it is not suggested for public use, the U.S. government is keeping a load of these vaccines in case a serious flu outbreak is to happen.

Today, the government is providing a flu plan in case of a pandemic occurrence of the avian flu. It focuses on fewer people being affected and it dwells on issues such as quarantine. The government aims to control the disease occurrence as much as possible.

How Effective Can An Influenza Vaccine Be?

The avian influenza vaccine has been tested together with the experiments that the scientists have conducted. The vaccine is meant to provide you preventive options against the deadly virus. Although it cannot provide one hundred percent immunity, it is proven to ward off the influenza virus that can infect a person.

If the influenza vaccine is to be released for worldwide use, this can probably be the main experiment for those who crafted it. Through human use, one can ascertain the effectiveness of the vaccine. Although it can take a while before a vaccine can be proven to be effective, everything is worth the wait because of the bright possibility that it brings.

Are There Side Effects With The Influenza Vaccine?

Side effects are probably the one thing that should be looked into whenever a drug or medication is being talked about. Although it is only normal for most drugs to have side effects, it will be important to note that the effects should be limited as much as possible. If the bad outweighs the good, then the influenza vaccine can become harmful for human use. In this case, the known side effects of the influenza vaccine can be summed up to four including general ill feeling, headache, muscle pain and local pain at the injection site. Since the side effects are minimal, the U.S. health agency has approved its release.