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Pandemic flu is inevitable, says this guy (below). CDC’s track record with the seasonal flu, which has already killed more than 20 U.S. children this year. The CDC has recreated the 1918 pandemic flu virus, however.

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(Vaccine researcher Ted M. Ross, and a transmission electron micrograph of influenza virus particles, or virions. Images: UPMC and CDC)

New Vaccine against Deadliest Strain of Avian Flu Tested by University of Pittsburgh Scientists - UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Ted M. Ross, Ph.D., lead author of the study and assistant professor, Center for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh. “To stem the spread of a potential pandemic, we need stockpiles of vaccines available that can be readily adapted to enhance the immune system’s response to new strains.”

A future flu pandemic is inevitable because of the virus’s ability to continually reinvent itself and the lack of broad immunity in humans, according to Dr. Ross. Influenza pandemics have occurred three times throughout modern history with deadly consequences. The first, the Spanish Flu of 1918, caused more deaths than World War I.