INFORMATION BULLETIN
Date: 9 July 2008
Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR
Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960
Extension of Bluetongue Protection Zone to allow further vaccination
Defra has today announced that the Bluetongue Protection Zone will be extended again on Monday 14 July, following the delivery by Intervet of over 2 million additional doses of Bluetongue vaccine.
Vaccination is only permitted within the Protection Zone. In accordance with the Bluetongue vaccination plan, the Protection Zone will be extended to cover the District of Selby, the Unitary Authority of York, West Yorkshire (made up of the metropolitan boroughs of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield), Derbyshire (including Derby), Staffordshire (including Stoke-on-Trent) and West Midlands (made up of the metropolitan boroughs of Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall). We will continue to roll out vaccination as vaccine is delivered, in line with the vaccination roll-out plan.
The additional vaccine is available for use in the existing Protection Zone from today. Livestock keepers in the areas coming into the Protection Zone will be able to obtain the vaccine from Monday. However, they are encouraged to order vaccine so that they can protect their livestock at the earliest opportunity.
Protection Zone restrictions will apply to those keepers coming into the extended zone. Animals can only be moved out of the Protection Zone if they are vaccinated, naturally immune or moving for slaughter, subject to meeting certain conditions.
Please refer to the Defra website for further guidance.
Notes to Editors
1. The Protection Zone will be expanded at 00:01 on Monday 14 July to cover all of the District of Selby, the Unitary Authority of York, West Yorkshire (made up of the metropolitan boroughs of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield), Derbyshire (including Derby), Staffordshire (including Stoke-on-Trent) and West Midlands (made up of the metropolitan boroughs of Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall).
2. The vaccination roll-out plan is available on the Defra website at: www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/bluetongue/control/vaccination/vaccination-rolloutplan.htm
3. Further information, including maps of the Bluetongue Zones and guidance on movement restrictions, can be found at: www.defra.gov.uk/bluetongue
4. Further information is available to farmers via the Defra helpline (0845 9335577) and website: www.defra.gov.uk
End
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Page published: 8 July 2008