Sally Furniss
Well-known member
Monday 20.02.2006, CET 21:49
The Swiss government says vaccination only makes sense if the virus is rife.
EU agriculture ministers met on Monday to discuss ways to combat bird flu – which has now spread to six member countries – including a Europe-wide vaccination programme.
"In the current situation Switzerland will not vaccinate poultry," Marcel Falk, spokesman for the Swiss Federal Veterinary Office, told swissinfo.
"In our view it would be too risky. If bird flu is introduced to our chicken population, it's vital that it's detected quickly.
"Vaccinated animals still get infected and pass the virus to other animals. But they don't get sick and die, so you can't recognise if bird flu has been introduced."
He said vaccination made sense if the virus was widespread, as in Asia, and if it was no longer possible to eradicate it.
Falk described this as "the most important measure to protect poultry" and said the birds would be kept cooped up "until there is a better solution".
Christian Griot, head of the national laboratory for highly contagious animal diseases, echoed the view that rapid identification and elimination of infected birds represented the best course of action at present.
"It's true that killing flocks of birds largely eliminates the virus from a particular spot, but it has the disadvantage that every bird ends up dead," he told swissinfo
swissinfo, Thomas Stephens
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=111&sid=6488585&cKey=1140467709000
EU agriculture ministers met on Monday to discuss ways to combat bird flu – which has now spread to six member countries – including a Europe-wide vaccination programme.
"In the current situation Switzerland will not vaccinate poultry," Marcel Falk, spokesman for the Swiss Federal Veterinary Office, told swissinfo.
"In our view it would be too risky. If bird flu is introduced to our chicken population, it's vital that it's detected quickly.
"Vaccinated animals still get infected and pass the virus to other animals. But they don't get sick and die, so you can't recognise if bird flu has been introduced."
He said vaccination made sense if the virus was widespread, as in Asia, and if it was no longer possible to eradicate it.
Falk described this as "the most important measure to protect poultry" and said the birds would be kept cooped up "until there is a better solution".
Christian Griot, head of the national laboratory for highly contagious animal diseases, echoed the view that rapid identification and elimination of infected birds represented the best course of action at present.
"It's true that killing flocks of birds largely eliminates the virus from a particular spot, but it has the disadvantage that every bird ends up dead," he told swissinfo
swissinfo, Thomas Stephens
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=111&sid=6488585&cKey=1140467709000
Last edited by a moderator: