Swine flu: Race to develop vaccine to combat pandemic strain

Email
Print

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:00a.m.

3 News Video On Demand
Rate:
0 ratings
Authorities estimate the number of swine flu cases in Britain has doubled in the last week to about 100,000 and officials are telling people not to go to a doctor if they have symptoms but instead to visit a new swine flu website or call a flu hot line.
Authorities estimate the number of swine flu cases in Britain has doubled in the last week to about 100,000 and officials are telling people not to go to a doctor if they have symptoms but instead to visit a new swine flu website or call a flu hot line.

Read the full story »

Become a fan of 3 News on Facebook and on Twitter.

Post a Comment

Before commenting, please take the time to read our moderation guide


(Won't be published)



Comments

30 Jul 2009 01:39p.m.

Phil Braithwaite wrote:

Racing to develop a Swine Flu vaccine may result in a product reaching the market without adequate testing. The standard R&D time for such a vaccine will be severely shortened to meet the demand caused by the global panic.
Consider the effect of an untested vaccine in the last Swine Flu threat in the mid-70s. In America, there was a massive vaccine campaign. But within a few months, $US1.3 billion of claims had been filed by victims who had suffered paralysis from the experimental vaccine. Several hundred people developed crippling Guillain-Barré Syndrome after their injections. Even healthy 20-year-olds ended up as paraplegics. The vaccine was also blamed for 25 deaths. Meanwhile, the deadly Swine Flu pandemic itself NEVER materialised.
So, I urge you - do not panic.
Stay calm.
Maintain standard health precautions.
Be informed.
The end of the world is NOT nigh!

Phil Braithwaite,
Auckland, NZ

Related Videos