All Nature’s pandemic flu coverage is collected on our news special page. These regular updates on The Great Beyond round up the latest from other news sources around the globe.

It looks as if the US may face a problem with swine flu vaccine this fall: 45 million doses will be available by mid November, which is not even half of the 120 million doses predicted previously.

The main ingredient of the vaccine is grown in chicken eggs and manufacturers are only getting 30% as much per egg as they do for seasonal flu vaccines. In addition, the final stages of production involve transferring vaccines into individual syringes, and the “finish-and-fill” facilities where this step takes place are limited in number.

But this is not a shortage, just a delay, Bill Hall, the spokesperson for the Health and Human Services cunningly noted (AP).

Adding to potential problems, those supplies might only cover half as many people, if it proves necessary to administer two shots per person.

The LA Times reports that Los Angeles director of public health Jonathan Fielding has recommended two doses because a single dose might not be sufficient to protect.

It is still not clear if the WHO will also go with a double dose recommendation but Canada is making sure it has enough vaccine to cover 75% of its population with two shots of vaccines (Canadian Press).

David Butler-Jones, the head of Public Health of Canada, says that it will become clear whether one or two shots are needed after clinical trials in September. If two doses are required and everyone wants the vaccine, more will be ordered, he says (Vancouver Sun).

Australia might become the first country to actually go ahead with mass vaccination with two million doses of the vaccine developed by the CSL expected to be ready within a month.

“This will be the biggest vaccination program in the shortest period of time that the Commonwealth has ever undertaken,” says Nicola Roxon, Australia’s Health Minister (Bloomberg).

Posted for Mico Tatalovic