New Delhi: The Secretary of State has permitted for the use of three blue-tongue vaccines to be used in the United Kingdom. This is in response to the outbreak of the highly infectious disease bluetongue virus BTV3 in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, a press release by the government stated.
The three vaccines do not prevent infection, but they have been proven to reduce some of the clinical signs experienced by animals with the disease.
The Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA) will issue the licenses for the vaccines, and the vaccines must be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, the release read. All movement controls and trade restrictions in place will still apply to vaccinated animals.
Biosecurity Minister Baroness Hayman said: “The permitting of these vaccines forms one part of our efforts against this highly infectious disease. We are working at pace in order to provide farmers with everything they need to protect their livestock and businesses and would recommend they contact their veterinarians for access to the vaccines.”
Chief UK Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said: “These vaccines are an important step forward and will aid in reducing clinical signs in animals and the impact of disease on farms but it is not a protective vaccine, so we are still urging farmers to follow all of our guidance in order to prevent the disease spreading to their herds and any further. I urge farmers to contact their veterinarians if they wish to use the vaccines and to continue monitoring their animals frequently for clinical signs and report suspicion of disease immediately to the Animal Plant Health Agency.”