Poultry farmers are appealing to the government to let them vaccinate their flocks against the “devastating” bird flu virus spreading across the UK. Vaccinating poultry against avian influenza is currently not allowed in the UK. The government says that strong biosecurity measures and culling are the most effective ways of fighting it. Meanwhile, there are concerns that poultry vaccinations might be linked to the virus evolving.
A bird flu prevention zone enforcing strict hygiene standards around domesticated birds has been declared for England, Wales and Scotland amid a rising number of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The risk to humans remains low, with chicken and eggs safe to eat if properly cooked, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
There have been 25 farm outbreaks of bird flu since the annual winter recording season began in October. In comparison, between October 2021 and January 2022, during the UK’s worst outbreak, there had been more than 70 cases in poultry or other captive birds.
Gary Ford, of the British Free Range Egg Producers Association, said that there was still “panic, concern and fear out there” among farmers over the virus spreading. Meanwhile, the National Farmers’ Union said it was “essential that Defra refocuses efforts” on coming up with a workable avian influenza vaccination plan for the UK.
Earlier this week, the government agency that deals with infectious diseases, UKHSA, confirmed a case of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in a farm worker in the West Midlands region. It said bird-to-human transmission of avian influenza was rare and that the risk to the wider public continues to be very low.
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