Novel Influenza Immunization
Home Data FAQs Investigation Reporting Resources
There are no vaccines for novel/variant influenza A viruses with the exception of influenza A H5N1.
The United States federal government maintains a stockpile of H5N1 vaccine. The stockpiled vaccine could be used if a H5N1 virus begins transmitting easily from person to person. Creating a candidate vaccine virus is the first step in producing a vaccine. See “Making a Candidate Vaccine Virus (CVV) for a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Virus” at http://www.cdc.gov/sites/default/files/flu/avianflu/candidate-vaccine-virus.htm for more information on this process.