Swine flu vaccine ready for trial: manufacturer
Posted Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:10pm AEST
Updated Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:40am AEST
The virus has so far infected almost 30,000 people in 74 countries. (AAP: Julian Smith, file photo)
While millions could catch the flu, governments and health experts around the world have sought to play down fears that swine flu could become a major killer.
The virus has so far infected almost 30,000 people in 74 countries and claimed 145 lives since it was first detected in Mexico in April, according to WHO figures.
Swiss drugs firm Novartis says it has completed a first batch of vaccine for pre-clinical trials and aims to make a version available in about four months.
"Novartis has successfully completed the production of the first batch of influenza A H1N1 [swine flu] vaccine, weeks ahead of expectations," the company said in a statement.
The batch "will be used for pre-clinical evaluation and testing and is also being considered for use in clinical trials," it said.
Novartis hopes to start the trials in July and to gain a licence soon after. It said more than 30 governments had already asked for swine flu "vaccine ingredients".
The UN health agency raised its global alert to a maximum six on Thursday after experts agreed that swine flu has reached pandemic status because of its geographical spread.
WHO director-general Margaret Chan said the declaration of a "moderate" pandemic should not spark panic and did not mean the swine flu death toll would rise sharply.
She said raising the alert "means that the world is moving into the early days of its first influenza pandemic in the 21st century."
The WHO said it would ask drug-makers to quickly prepare to produce swine flu vaccines once the production of seasonal flu vaccine ends.
The Southern Hemisphere is currently heading toward winter and the height of its flu season. Northern Hemisphere countries expect to see a swine flu surge when its winter starts later.
(This article is copy from www.abc.net.au)
Ok, here is the catch. A few years ago, my mum saw a few cases where oversea student from other country come to Australia marry some local guy, to get an aussie citizenship and then dump the guy, take a whole bunch of money from them and divorce the guy.
Now, she is seen everyyyyyyyyyyyyy single female oversea student from my uni as an evil bitch that want to pull a stund like that. It is driving me nutsssssss!!!
I swear to god, I stay a little bit late in the Uni's library because they got some software I can use for work and assessment and when I got home I have to hear my mum going nuts for three whole day, saying she didn't raise a kid to be manipulate by some bitch.
Just today, I was playing a bit of video game and press pause and there was a bipping sound from the game and my mum heard it and then right away she was screaming at the top of the lung angrily "Which bitch are you exchanging text message with!!!"
This has been going on pretty much on a daily bases, for almost half a year now
I swear to god, as much as I love my mum, her obsession is driving me NUTS!!!
So, any advice?
Ok, we all know there are at least 500 cases of Swan flue at Melburn.
Personally, I don't think the state of origin should be played until this entire swan flue thing is over, Let along to be played in Melburn, where swan flue is everywhere.
Now, the Victorai preimer is arguing against the idea of quarentiing people within their house for 7 days after returning from Victoria, in case of Swan Flue outburst throughout NSW. Are you freaket kidding me???!!! The last thing we need is a Swan flue out burst in Sydney also. I DON't WANT TO CATCH SWAN FLUE!!!
Bloody hell man!!!