A federal flu plan that’s for the birds. The Bush administration's plan for a pandemic places too much of the financial burden on states. [News Source]

Investing in vaccines. Federal health authorities today issued more than a billion dollars worth of contracts to speed the production of vaccines in preparation for a possible avian flu pandemic. [News Source]

$1 billion paid to speed up vaccines in case of pandemic. he government on Thursday awarded more than $1 billion to five drug manufacturers that are developing technology for speedier mass production of vaccines in case of a pandemic. [News Source]

Bird flu outbreak confirmed in China. The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture Friday confirmed outbreak of bird flu among wild birds in a remote areas Qinghai Province, northwest China. [News Source]

APEC ministerial meeting on bird flu opens in Vietnam. The APEC Ministerial Meeting on Avian and Influenza Pandemics kicked off Friday, with discussions focusing on assessment of the socioeconomic impact of bird flu pandemics and anti-disease activities. [News Source]

Bird flu emergency teaching plan gets skeptical reception. President Bush's plan to slow the spread of a deadly pandemic flu devotes seven of its 227 pages to what schools and colleges can do in case a 1918-style flu epidemic hits the USA. Most of the recommendations, released Wednesday, are standard practices. [News Source]

Bird flu expert says H5N1 worst he’s seen. A leading expert said Thursday the H5N1 virus is the worst flu virus he's ever encountered, and far too many gaps in planning and knowledge persist for the world to handle it in the event of a pandemic. [News Source]

$1 billion awarded for flu vaccine. The awards mark a huge step forward in the Bush administration's $7.1 billion effort to plan for an influenza pandemic, which many experts believe is likely in the next decade. [News Source]

Drug shows promise against bird flu. The flu drug Tamiflu can prevent deaths in mammals infected with bird flu, according to interpretations of a new study that offers clues to the ideal dosage and duration needed for people. [News Source]

Agriculture Dept. issues series of ads aimed at calming fears about bird flu. Hoping to prevent a scare over deadly bird flu, the government is distributing television and radio commercials assuring people that chicken is safe to eat. [News Source]

Live bird flu virus found in victim’s blood. Evidence that H5N1 can spread via the bloodstream to parts of the body not normally attacked by influenza viruses confirms this particular flu strain poses special challenges for both patient treatment and infection control. [News Source]

Senate defies Bush on spending. The Senate ignored Bush's veto threat yesterday and easily passed a $109 billion emergency spending bill for war and hurricane recovery costs that also brimmed with favors for farmers, the fishing industry, and the states of HI and RI. [News Source]