Bird flu protection for workers

The first recorded death from bird flu occurred in 1997

Drugs supplies to protect London's key workers from Avian bird flu have been bought to keep vital services running in the event of an outbreak.

Police officers, transport workers and firefighters will be among those offered the anti-viral injections.

Mayor Ken Livingstone said the stocks of Tamiflu had cost £1m and were expected to arrive in eight weeks.

The World Health Organisation has warned governments they must stockpile vaccines in preparation for a pandemic.

Wild waterfowl

At Mayor's questions on Wednesday Mr Livingstone said he has been in close contact with the Government over the purchase and could be part of a national roll out.

"They are very close to announcing what they are doing. It is virtually a done deal," he said.

Transport for London has bought the drugs on behalf of all key workers in the Greater London Authority.

The US, French and Italian governments have all placed orders for avian flu vaccine, but the British Government has been criticised for being slow on the uptake.

Avian flu is thought to have originated in Asia in wild waterfowl such as ducks, which carry the virus without suffering harm.

It then moved into poultry, where it evolved and became a threat to humans.

The first case of a person dying from bird 'flu was reported in Hong Kong in May 1997.