The companies will now have to go through the other stages of development like preclinical trials and clinical tests.

Scientists at the Serum institute expect to have the vaccine ready by September. They are also preparing a limited human trial involving at least 25 volunteers. However, it will be another six months before the vaccine is ready for mass use.

In the event of an emergency, WHO has clarified that countries could relax some of the stringent provisions related to approvals to speed up the vaccine's availability to fight a raging swine flu pandemic.

Authorities in China have been more proactive and the Beijing city government has already placed the order to supply at least four million doses by the end of September to local vaccine maker Sinovac.

Thiswill be administered to two million people in the high risk group. Additional orders are expected beginning in October and, in total, Sinovac expects to supply approximately 10 million doses to the Beijing government.

The 10 million doses will be administered to five million people in Beijing.

Indians are waiting for a similar announcement from their government. Of course, the government is not too worried because of the mild form of infection that has surfaced in the country so far.

Yet again, the technological prowess demonstrated by the Serum institute, in developing an influenza vaccine in the shortest possible time, could benefit millions across the globe.