INFORMATION BULLETIN
Date: 3 April 2008
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Bluetongue vaccination roll out plan published
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has today released details of the strategy for rolling out vaccination across England.
Under EU law, vaccination can only be carried out in a Protection Zone. As vaccine starts to be delivered by Intervet, vaccination will, therefore, commence in the Protection Zone only. Once vaccination is progressing across the Protection Zone, the intention is to extend or modify the Zone county by county, in order to permit further vaccination. The strategy has been developed and agreed with a Core Group of industry stakeholders. It is designed to be flexible, taking into account the changing nature of the disease, such as moving zones, the varying levels of disease risk in the zones and the availability of vaccine. More details of the vaccination strategy, alongside indicative prices for the vaccine, can be found on the Defra website.
On 17 March, organisations from across the livestock sector launched the Joint campaign Against Bluetongue (JAB), to promote and achieve the mass vaccination of bluetongue-susceptible animals in England. Details are on the NFU website.
Notes to editors
1. The Bluetongue vaccination roll out plan has been published at www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/bluetongue/control/vaccination-rolloutplan.htm
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Page published: 3 April 2008 13:50