More bird flu

Here is a blog devoted to H5N1.

Here is an article about Margaret Chan who is leading the WHO charge:

She realizes the exercise may be painful for some governments but is dedicated to the cause. "I have a lot of passion for global public health -- that is where I am coming from," Chan said.

"One has to be very vigilant, honest and brave. Sometimes you need to make unpopular, difficult recommendations to political leaders which may have a short-term impact on the economy and on certain sectors," she added.

Somehow I'm not reassured that the public health is not afraid to make unpopular, difficult recommendations. I'd feel better if the political leaders were making unpopular, difficult decsions, which I don't think they are.

Finally this article details some of the challenges of vaccination against H5N1:

A vaccine is the best hope to prevent millions of deaths.

But current global manufacturing capacity, at around 300 million regular flu doses a year, is simply insufficient to meet global needs during a pandemic.