Avian influenza (bird flu): Vaccination technical working group - 16th November 2006
Stakeholder attendees |
Defra attendees |
Devolved administrations |
| Bill Stanley - Aviagen (also representing British Poultry Council) | Andrew Jones | Nia Ball SEERAD |
| Christine Ashton - British Waterfowl Association | Paul Manser | Jackie Robinson DARDNI |
| Richard Sanders- Elm Farm Research Centre | Graeme Cooke |
|
| Anna Bassett - Soil Association | Nancy Massie | |
| Mark Williams - British Egg Industry Council | Rhys Jackson | |
| Dan Parker - British Veterinary Poultry Association | Lorna Torkington | |
| Akeela Bashir |
Purpose of the group
- This small Stakeholder Vaccination Technical Working Group was formed after the stakeholder meeting held in August to take forward a detailed vaccination delivery plan as part of Defra’s contingency planning.
- At the August meeting an outline vaccination delivery plan was discussed. This had been drawn up in case vaccination needed to be implemented in the UK in an outbreak.
- It was agreed that this smaller working group of stakeholders would deal with the technical and practical issues on planning and developing the delivery of vaccination further. The group would also report back to the wider stakeholder group when their work is complete.
- The group is not intended to deal with more general policy on the use of vaccination which remains that we do not intend to use vaccination before an outbreak or as an immediate disease control response, due to the widely recognised limitations of currently available vaccines.
Update on Vaccine supply
- 5 million doses of vaccine were now available in the UK and ready for use if necessary in an outbreak
- A further 5 million to be available by the end of December 2006.
Draft vaccination plan
Graeme Cooke gave a presentation on the elements of a plan. The following issues were raised for further discussion at the next meeting:
- Each stakeholder provided details of the sector they were representing and what their objectives and main concerns were.
- Vaccinated flocks would need to be registered on a database. This process should be as simple as possible. Defra to look into the possibility of using the poultry register.
- BVA could potentially be used to distribute information on delivery of vaccination to vets. The group should discuss the availability of vets and who would actually inject birds, either the vet, or the keeper if the vet is prepared to authorise them to do so
- Movement of poultry would only be allowed if the birds were shown to be disease free. The group should discuss any other conditions which might be useful.
- Defra would provide details on the controls required on products from vaccinated birds.
- The group should look into the ramifications of use of sentinel birds - should entire flocks be vaccinated? Should epidemiological units only contain birds of the same vaccination status?
- There was a strong feeling that commercial and hobby birds that are vaccinated should be ringed for monitoring /testing and identification purposes - this may also help with exit strategy. Methods of identification will be discussed at the next meeting.
- Defra to report details of how much capacity VLA has to carry out testing for virus.
Draft cost paper
- The draft paper
(15 KB) was discussed. It highlights the various costs which would have to be covered by either Government or bird keepers. - Some costs are impossible to quantify in advance, such as private veterinary fees. It will be amended to reflect comments made in the meeting and recirculated to the group for further discussion if necessary.
The next meeting would be held in early December.
Defra
November 2006
Page last modified:
14 November, 2007