David Boucher, Director of Infectious Disease in the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) has announced an order for ten million doses of human H5 influenza vaccine.

Although less than twenty cases of zoonotic H5N1v infection with the B3.13 genotype have been recorded, and risks to human populations appears low, the ASPR has placed orders in accordance with their “mission to be ready” in the event of possible mutations in the virus to become contagious among humans. 

The order will be filled by three U.S. companies. One will provide a conventional egg-propagated vaccine.  The other suppliers are producing vaccine using cell culture.  Concurrently the U.S. Public Health Service has funded development of a mRNA platform for human influenza vaccines.