H5N1 bird flu vaccine available, no need to panic: Former AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria

Avian influenza, also known as H5N1, impacts avian species or birds.

Former AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria has put to rest fears concerning H5N1 bird flu and said there is no need to panic as the vaccine against the virus is already available.

"Bird fly is present for over two decades now. The virus has been dormant for many years now and there is no need to panic," he told News18.

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Guleria, India's top pulmonologist, said that we can increase surveillance by keeping a close eye on the cluster of cases showing flu-like symptoms and noticing trends in poultry.

Avian influenza, also known as H5N1, impacts avian species or birds. Experts globally have raised a warning about the potential of a bird flu pandemic, which could be 100 times more severe than Covid.

He explained that in 2001, H5N1 was expected to cause the next pandemic. "The vaccine was made and stored anticipating that if it mutated and turned human-to-human contagious, it would turn out extremely lethal. The mortality of humans with this virus stands at 60% which is extremely high," Guleria said.

According to the former AIIMS director, the vaccine was made as a study revealed that human-to-human infection is possible if the virus makes 'just two mutations'.

"Due to these concerns, the vaccine was made and stored by developed nations such as the United Kingdom and the United States. The stockpile later expired. However, today we have the technology and if required, the big pharma giants can stock the product," Guleria added.

The source of avian influenza or H5N1 is mainly poultry animals. "Anyone in close contact with these animals is infected, but human-to-human infections have never been observed," he noted.