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As bird flu continues to spread across the UK, poultry farmers are calling for permission to vaccinate their birds. Currently, vaccinating poultry against avian influenza is not allowed in the UK with the government preferring to rely on biosecurity measures and culling instead. However, farmers argue that a vaccination scheme is desperately needed to prevent further devastation to their flocks. Paul Kelly, a turkey farmer who has previously lost 30% of his flock due to the virus, expressed his belief that it is only a matter of time before another outbreak occurs without a vaccination.
Despite concerns about bird flu vaccines potentially leading to the virus evolving, Defra has set up a task force to examine the potential use of vaccines. However, those working in the poultry industry claim that progress is too slow as there have already been 25 farm outbreaks of bird flu since the start of the annual winter recording season in October. The British Free Range Egg Producers Association has stated its support for vaccination but admits that using vaccines presents challenges, including the cost to farmers and the impact on trade with countries that prohibit imports from vaccinated producers.
Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College and institutions in China have found possible evidence that vaccination may be linked to changes in how the virus evolves. The scientists carried out genetic analysis of flu samples collected between 1996 and 2023 and found that there was a higher rate of virus change in countries with high vaccination rates. While further research is required to understand whether there is a direct causal link between vaccination and virus evolution, such evolution could lead to vaccines needing frequent updates and the virus spilling over into unvaccinated populations.
The National Farmers’ Union is calling for Defra to come up with a workable avian influenza vaccination plan for the UK. Currently, the government only permits licensed zoos to vaccinate captive birds against HPAI. Whilst Defra continues to invest in research, any future decisions on emergency or preventive vaccination will be based on the latest scientific evidence and veterinary advice
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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