The European Union has taken a proactive step to protect its agricultural industry from the threat of zoonotic influenza by securing access to a significant number of vaccines.
The European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) spearheaded the initiative. They have now signed a four year contract with CSL Seqirus for an initial 665,000 doses of a zoonotic influenza vaccine. This agreement gives the additional option for another 40 million doses, a clear signal of the EU’s commitment to preparedness.
“While the threat of avian influenza to the general population remains low,” emphasised Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, “we need to protect people at higher risk, such as poultry and farm workers or certain veterinarians.”
Distribution plans
The distribution strategy prioritises those most exposed to the virus. Initial shipments are already underway to Finland, where poultry workers will be the first recipients. The remaining member states participating in the voluntary procurement scheme – currently sitting at fifteen – will receive their allocations based on predetermined criteria.
Global avian influenza case increases
The move comes amid ongoing outbreaks of bird flu in various parts of the world, prompting concerns about potential human transmission. In the US, by the 24th of May, avian influenza was found in the milk of 58 dairy herds. In Texas, a farmer who worked closely with dairy cows, was also infected with the H5N1 strain, but recovered when treated with an antiviral drug. Elsewhere, in Mexico a farmworker with underlying conditions died from the H5N2 variant. This strain was not previously reported in humans, but found to be present in Mexican poultry. Finally, in May the World Health Organisation (WHO) was notified about a case of avian influenza A(H9N2) in West Bengal State, India. The victim subsequently recovered.
With such increases in transmissions, world health organisations are extremely vigilant. The US already has a stockpile of flu vaccines from GSK, Sanofi and CSL Seqirus. In addition, the UK drugmaker GSK is working with the German biotech firm CureVac on a mRNA-based vaccine. This initiative is still in the early trial phase.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) currently marks the risk for the general public as low. For those working with, or exposed to, infected birds and mammals the risk has been marked as low to moderate. Consequently, robust biosecurity and hygiene protocols should be paramount for all those working closely with poultry. Poultry farm owners should ensure that their staff follow these processes to the letter.
Protecting your poultry with stringent biosecurity
Avian influenza in rare occasions has been transmitted to humans who work closely with animals. Poultry workers are on the front line. Farm owners must have systems and processes in place to protect them, and that’s where Livetec comes in.
Livetec have been advising poultry farmers about biosecurity for over a decade. Our Biosecurity Advisory Service has shown farm businesses develop processes and protocols to protect flocks from disease but also protect those who care for them.
Take the first step today and request a site visit from an expert here.
