This latest work seems particularly promising, according to Prof John Oxford, a flu expert at the University of London. Good results were achieved in ferrets and monkeys at this time, even in tests with the bird flu virus H5N1. “This is an exciting development, but the new vaccines now need to be tested in clinical trials to see how well they work in humans,” said Prof Sarah Gilbert, Professor of Vaccinology at University of Oxford. Actually, everyone 6 months of age and older should get vaccinated against influenza each year. The extent and severity of influenza outbreaks vary considerably from year to year and from location to location. Serious local outbreaks generally occur about every 1–3 years, and global outbreaks (pandemics) occur about every 10–15 years.
