Poultry farmers in bird flu ‘panic’ call for UK vaccination plan

Poultry farmers are appealing to the government to vaccinate their herds against the “destructive” bird flu virus spread in Britain.

Poultry vaccination against avian influenza is currently not allowed in the UK. The government says that strong bio -safety measures and culling are the most effective ways to fight it. Meanwhile, there are concerns that poultry vaccination may be associated with developing viruses.

The total levels of the virus have not yet reached the peak of recent years.

But a farmer, who has lost 30% of his herd because of the first bird flu, told the BBC that, without vaccine, it was only a few times before “it all shut down”.

The prevention area of ​​a bird flu that implement strict hygiene standards around domestic birds has been declared amid the increasing number of cases of Avian Influenza (HPAI) highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) for England, Wales and Scotland.

According to the department of environment, food and rural affairs (DFRA), the risk for humans is low, chicken and eggs are safe to eat, if cooked properly, properly cooked.

Deefra has established a cross-government and poultry industry taskforce that is looking at the possible use of vaccines, and is due to publishing its report later this year. But poultry farmers say that things are moving very slowly.

Essex Turkish farmer Paul Kelly, whose business was given a tough fight in the wrath of the worst avian flu from 2021 to 2023, told the BBC that “the legs have been removed from gas” when it comes to providing poultry vaccines to the UK farmers.

He said, “This is a bad plan because we need to be ready for another huge outbreak, as unlike the curve on reacting to another outbreak and rolling vaccinations,” he said.

“Avian influenza is so highly pathogenic that if a farmer receives it (in his flock) (it is devastating.”

Since the beginning of the annual winter recording season in October, there has been an outbreak of 25 farm of bird flu.

In comparison, between October 2021 and January 2022, during Britain’s worst outbreak, there were more than 70 cases in poultry or other prisoners.

But Gary Ford of the British Free Range Egg Producers Association said that there was still “nervousness, anxiety and fear” among the virus spreading farmers.

He said that the organization was a “huge supporter” of vaccination for poultry, but it was recognized that the cost of farmers and impact on trade with other countries that restrict imports from vaccinating producers.

Meanwhile, some scientific questions have also been raised about the vaccination of bird flu.

recent work Researchers at the UK’s Royal Veterinary College and institutions in China could find possible evidence of how the viruses develop may be associated with changes.

He generated genetic analysis of wild birds between 1996 and 2023 and avian flu samples collected from cultivated chicken.

While he found that the infection occurred more often in birds without stopping, he also found that in countries with high vaccination rates, the rate of change in the virus was higher.

He said that such development, in theory, the vaccine may need to be updated often to remain effective and to spread the virus to the unexpected population. He admitted that more research was required to install whether there was a direct cause link between vaccination and development of the virus.

Earlier this week, the government agency dealing with infectious diseases, UKHSA, A farm worker in West Midlands area confirmed a case of Avian Influenza virus in a farm worker,

It said that the Bird-to-Human Transmission of Avian Influenza was rare and the risk is very low for the wider public.

Farmers in Shropshire, North Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, plow on Kingston, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Safok will have to hold captives under compulsory housing rules to manage their birds spreading.

There are also bio -safety restrictions across England, Wales and Scotland as part of an avian influenza prevention area.

The National Farmers Union said that it was necessary that “Deefra resumed efforts when Deefra came up with a practical avian influenza vaccination scheme for the UK.

The government currently allows licensed zoos to vaccinate captive birds against HPAI.

It said that it will continue to invest in research and any future decisions on the use of emergency or preventive vaccination will be based on the latest scientific evidence and veterinary advice.