Virus mutation seen as unlikely

http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=532872006

An argument that mutation is unlikely based on the past behavior of his virus.

Still, it is a good thing to start preparing.

"There will be a pandemic eventually, and there is no reason to suppose it won't be a severe one. It will be a new virus attacking a population which won't have any immunity. It will sweep through the world very quickly," Prof Pennington said.

"We still don't have the capacity to make vaccines quickly enough and it is a difficult thing to do. We still have a lot of research to do to make better vaccines. Most virologists are still unhappy about the level of funding going into flu virus research, but they are happier now than they were a few years ago.

"The fact that H5N1 has been there as a threat - because it has infected and killed people, which puts it into a special category - has helped stimulate the world into action."