An Inside View: Flu Season and Vaccines

 

I enjoyed this morning's QnA in the News and Observer on flu vaccines.

I felt a sense of pride as I read Dr. Aimee Zaas' answers about the egg-based shots given now. Down the road in Holly Springs, Novartis will be making vaccines in steel tanks as early as next year. They have the capacity to vaccinate about half the U.S. population.

She mentioned that flu vaccine sometimes isn't effective because manufacturers are guessing now what will be important next year. Just five minutes from here, Medicago is working on a production method that delivers vaccine in seven weeks. Their product is in testing now.

Plus, between 350 and 400 people work at these plants.

Good news in hard economic times and flu season.

Robin Deacle
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