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Annex C Disease Control Options
1. The strategy in controlling an outbreak of Avian Influenza or Newcastle Disease would, as is required by the relevant EU Directives, be to slaughter all susceptible birds on Infected Premises. Contact premises deemed by veterinary investigation to be of high risk would also be slaughtered out, as "Dangerous Contacts". This strategy would be supported by strict biosecurity and movement restrictions. Other measures would be considered if the epidemiological information indicated a need to go further.
Vaccination
2. A Ministerial decision to use AI/ ND vaccination would be based primarily on epidemiological and veterinary advice. Vaccination against AI can only be carried out where a risk assessment has been carried out and has indicated a risk of the disease spreading within or into Scotland. Vaccination measures would be emergency or preventive, depending on the nature of the risk. As explained in the section dealing with Disease Response Assumptions, it is unlikely that the current vaccines would in practice be used to control an outbreak of HPAI.
Vaccines for ND do not suffer from the disadvantages of the HPAI vaccines and are therefore a more practical proposition in disease control terms in supporting the basic slaughter strategy. Indeed, large parts of the industry already vaccinate on a prophylactic basis.
Extended Culling Strategies
3. As with vaccination, the use and design of an extended cull would be based on veterinary and epidemiological judgment. Given the present nature and distribution of the poultry industry in Scotland, and the likely role of wild birds as disease vectors, it is unlikely that an extended cull strategy would be considered an effective disease control option.
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