The United States is on the verge of approving a new vaccine against bird flu specifically designed for chickens. Animal health company Zoetis has received a conditional license from the Department of Agriculture for an updated avian influenza vaccine, which is expected to protect against circulating variants of the H5N1 virus.
The vaccine uses a dead version of an H5N2 variant and is being manufactured in-house by Zoetis. The company began working on the update once the current outbreak started in early 2022. If approved, the vaccine will be made available to poultry farmers, who must obtain final approval from USDA regulators before administering it.
Zoetis hopes that this new vaccine will provide a solution to the global bird flu crisis, which has already killed millions of birds and sent egg prices soaring. The company’s CEO says that their goal is to advance animal care and provide solutions to global health challenges, and that this vaccine is an example of their commitment to achieving that goal.
Source: https://www.newser.com/story/364527/chickens-prepare-for-your-flu-shots.html