Question reference: S6W-04292
- Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
- Date lodged: 12 November 2021
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Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 23 November 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported outbreak of avian influenza in Angus, for what reason there is not routine vaccination against this virus in Scotland.
Answer
The vaccination of poultry and captive birds against avian influenza is not currently permitted. Vaccination is not a routine preventative measure and is a practice prohibited by legislation. There is limited experimental evidence available on the effectiveness of vaccination of poultry and other captive birds against avian influenza, and its varying strains, and there are no vaccines currently available that would guarantee the immune responses required.
If vaccinations were to be applied, there is a danger that they could ‘mask’ the occurrence of disease in a farm, delaying its detection. A poorly applied vaccination programme could even lead to the persistence of disease, whilst vaccinated birds may still be capable of transmitting the virus. Further concerns are that a vaccination programme could have trading implications with EU/third countries.
New developments in avian influenza vaccinations and their potential use are continually being considered and appraised, however, currently the proven effective preventative measure against avian influenza remains the application of on-site biosecurity, which is of fundamental importance to the avian influenza prevention and control strategy for Scotland.