Finland will become the first country in the world to administer vaccines against bird flu. The immunization campaign will begin next week, as announced by the country’s health officials on Tuesday. The vaccinations aim to prevent the onset of bird flu symptoms and will initially be given to workers who come into contact with animals, starting with mink farms.

“The vaccine will be offered to individuals aged 18 and older who are at increased risk of contracting bird flu due to their work or other circumstances,” officials from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) said in a statement.

Finland has acquired vaccines for 10,000 people, each of whom will receive two doses for full immunization.

The vaccines are part of a purchase of 40 million doses made by the European Union (EU) from the Australian vaccine manufacturer CSL Seqirus. Approximately 665,000 doses have already been delivered, with the remaining batches to be delivered gradually over four years.

In an announcement from the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), titled “The Commission Ensures Member States’ Access to 665,000 Doses of Zoonotic Influenza Vaccines to Prevent Bird Flu,” it states:

“Today, the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) of the Commission, within its mandate on preparedness, signed a framework contract for joint procurement on behalf of the participating member states for the supply of up to 665,000 doses of the updated Zoonotic Influenza Vaccine Seqirus, with an option for an additional 40 million doses during the contract period. Thanks to this contract, participating member states will have access to medical countermeasures to prevent bird flu.

The vaccine is intended for those most exposed to potential transmissions of bird flu from birds or animals, such as poultry farmers and veterinarians. It aims to prevent the spread or potential outbreaks of bird flu in Europe, protecting citizens and livelihoods. It is the only preventive zoonotic vaccine against bird flu currently approved in the EU.

Fifteen EU and EEA member states are participating in this voluntary procurement with Seqirus UK Ltd. The contract allows each participating country to consider its own public health context and order vaccines according to national needs. The contract will last up to 4 years.

Currently, shipments are being prepared to Finland for the immediate vaccination of workers at risk of exposure, upon request from the member state. Shipments to other participating countries will follow.”

The Cost of the Disease in Finland

The H5N1 strain of bird flu, responsible for hundreds of millions of bird deaths in recent years, has spread to livestock herds across the USA, with human cases also reported.

To date, no citizens or visitors in Finland have tested positive for the bird flu virus, but fur farming operations are considered high-risk for transmission to humans. Finland’s chief physician from THL, Hanna Nohynek, explained to the media that animals on these farms often come into contact with wildlife, hence the increased risk of bird flu.

Last year, Finnish farmers culled approximately 485,000 animals to prevent the spread of bird flu and potential transmission to humans.