UK-produced pandemic flu vaccine deal agreed by government

A deal by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has been struck to produce millions of vaccines, should a flu pandemic occur.

Manufacturer CSL Seqirus would be able to quickly produce more than 100 million vaccines at its Liverpool plant.

Pandemic flu is different to seasonal flu, which is around every year.

It would be a new threat that people would not be expected to have immunity to.

Flu pandemics can be highly unpredictable in timing and duration.

There have been four flu pandemics in the past 100 years - in 1918, 1957, 1968 and 2009.

The 1918 pandemic caused 50 million global deaths, and flu remains a major health concern for the World Health Organization.

UKHSA says having the ability to quickly begin testing and making a vaccine against a new flu strain would give the UK security at a time when global demand could outweigh supply.

Dame Professor Jenny Harries, its chief executive, called the agreement "a major step forward in our preparedness against future influenza pandemics".

"We have seen from past pandemic events, including Covid-19, that access to effective vaccines is vital to help save lives and minimise disruption to our lives and livelihoods," she added.