MOSCOW, February 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russian vaccines against the lethal H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus will be made available to consumers in early March, the government agency for veterinary and phytosanitary control said Monday.
Three vaccines were developed last year to combat the spread of bird flu following outbreaks in Russia's European part, Siberia and the Ural Mountains. The virus affected domestic poultry and wild fowl, but no human cases were reported.
At least 100 million doses are expected to be purchased using federal funds to vaccinate birds against the deadly virus in private farms and zoos located in high-risk areas, to be identified by the agency in cooperation with regional veterinary authorities.
