The Directorate General of Veterinary Medicine of the Ministry of Farm Development and Food has provided clarification on the possible implementation of vaccination plan against mouth fever in Lesvos, in the wake of relevant publications.
Specifically, the ministry Rural Development clarifies that, despite scenarios of possible vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease in Lesvos, killing of positive cattle is still a mandatory method of eradication of the disease, under the current European regulatory framework.
According to the General Directorate of Veterinary Medicine of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food: the killing of positive cattle remains compulsory, under the current European regulatory framework, as a method of eradication of the highly contagious disease.
Vaccines are a useful tool to prevent infection of animals and limit further transmission of the virus.
Even in the case of vaccination, all the measures foreseen to eradicate the disease, such as killing of positive flocks, restrictions on movement of animals and products, landfilling, cleaning and disinfection, will continue to be applied.
The decision to implement a vaccination programme shall take into account the epidemiological data, the risks of further spread of the disease and the impact that vaccination may have on the health status of the country.
The current situation is under constant evaluation in order to explore the possibility of implementing a vaccination plan, if deemed appropriate.
The Ministry finally notes that it is in constant communication with the competent European authorities and the scientific community.
