What I Learned Today

I'm starting a new feature, "What I Learned Today." There have been several times over the past few weeks that I have kicked myself for hearing an interesting fact and then forgetting it, despite the dedication of the full powers of my brain into avoiding the road more traveled. I am reluctant to write them down on paper, lest I die and the coroners find the notebook: "Rainbows have an extra color! It's murple!" I would be so embarrassed.

So on the Internet it goes. This fact comes from a story on NPR.

What's the secret to creating a flu vaccine? Eggs. Eggs have been used for the past 50 years to create flu vaccines. The vaccine is created by poking a needle through the top of an egg and ingesting that year's hot virus along with a second fast-growing strain (presumably so the two viruses genes can mix and ensure that the vaccine will grow fast).

Then, to speed up the virus' production, virologists incubate the eggs (375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until moist and chewy). The resulting virus, called the "seed virus" is used to infect the millions of eggs that produce the world's annual flu shot needs. The entire process takes about six months.

Most scientists see the arrival of a flu pandemic a matter of when, not if. The arrival of the Asian bird flu has triggered a search for a faster production method. A lot of people can die in the six months it takes to make enough of the vaccine. And it would suck for people who are allergic to eggs. (sources: 1 2)