The U.S. government is giving drugmaker Moderna $176 million to develop an mRNA vaccine against the bird flu amid the ongoing outbreak in dairy cows across the country. While the vaccine would target H5N1, the mRNA technology would allow manufacturers to pivot quickly if another new flu strain emerges. There is no evidence yet that this strain of the bird flu spreads easily from person to person. Moderna’s vaccine would be separate from the 4.8 million doses of bird flu vaccines already stockpiled by the government. O’Connell said she expects those shots, which use traditional vaccine technology, to be available starting in the middle of July.

Source: Washington Post July 03, 2024 08:26 UTC