Sold out: flu vaccines

Following warnings by the European Union on the possibility of a bird-flu pandemic, common flu vaccines in the Czech Republic have sold out. Pharmacies throughout the country sold out their vaccines in a single day, with pharmaceutical companies promising new batches in the coming week. However, officials have warned vaccines are only effective against the common flu - not the deadly bird virus. The government, meanwhile, has ordered an additional 600,000 does of Tamiflu vaccine - said to be effective against bird flu - at a cost of 600 million crowns.

The purchase is part of the country's emergency plan, following the European Commission's confirmation that the deadly strain of bird flu, known as H5N1, had been identified in cases in both Turkey and Romania.