Franken's Bill Gives Incentives To Zika Vaccine Makers
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A bill that will speed up the development of treatments against the Zika virus will soon become law.
Sen. Al Franken wrote the bill that will add the Zika virus to the Food and Drug Administration's Priority Review Voucher Program.
That will give incentives to companies to develop vaccines. Franken says the bill passed at a critical moment.
"Just yesterday the Centers for Disease Control declared that Zika is even scarier than we thought -- that's their words," Franken said.
RELATED: CDC: 6 Minnesotans Infected With Zika Virus
The Zika virus has spread through South and Central America and has been reported in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa. The mosquito-borne virus has also affected American travelers.
Even though Georgia and other southeastern states are most at risk, Sen. Franken says Minnesota is not in the clear.
He says there is a primary mosquito that carries the virus, and another one that is found as far north as southeastern Minnesota.