Feds Expand Emergency Law Parameters to Include H5N1 (Bird Flu), The ‘Potential’ Triggers Public Funds for Vaccine Countermeasures

Quite quietly with little fanfare on July 24, published in the Federal Register, the U.S. Government via Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Xavier Becerra, at the behest of Dawn O'Connell, Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), part of the HHS broadened existing federal law to extend the different bird flu pathogens that can be used to trigger a national public health emergency. The Secretary issued a notice pursuant to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act on July 18, 2024, and published on July 24, 2024. He amended the April 19, 2013, determination made pursuant to the FD&C Act, regarding the avian influenza A (H79N) virus, and determined pursuant to his authority under the Act that there is a significant potential for a public health emergency that has a significant potential to affect national security or the health and security of United States citizens living abroad and that involves biological agents, namely pandemic influenza A viruses and influenza A viruses with pandemic potential.

Does this mean that the government will be funding more countermeasures, including mRNA vaccines for both animals and humans?