Plans for vaccination in Scotland
The Scottish Government has agreed the principals of a Scottish Vaccination Campaign with industry and other stakeholder representatives and is in the process of securing up to 12 million doses of vaccine for use in Scotland later this year.
The Scottish Vaccination Campaign will be compulsory and farmers will generally be allowed to administer the vaccine themselves, except where veterinary administration is specifically required (for example for animals intended for movement out of the Protection Zone). Subject to disease development, vaccination will be carried out during the Vector Free Period in winter 2008/2009. This will allow time for all Scottish livestock to be fully protected before the risk of disease transmission rises once more with the onset of higher temperatures. Should disease reach Scotland before then, available vaccine will be release for use within any Protection Zone declared in Scotland, subject to veterinary advice at the time.
The Scottish Government have agreed to provide 50% of the costs of the purchase of vaccine, up to a maximum of £3m, for the first year only of a vaccination programme. This is subject to European Commission State Aid approval. Industry will meet the remaining costs of the vaccine and the total cost of vaccine administration in this and future years.
Until a vaccination campaign is launched by the Scottish Government it remains illegal to obtain or use bluetongue vaccine in Scotland.
Vaccination in England
From 30th April 2008 vaccination has been permitted within the bluetongue Protection Zone in England. Once immune, vaccinated animals will be allowed to move out of the Protection Zone subject to certain conditions. Full details of the roll out of vaccine and the movement license conditions in England can be found on the Department for Food and Rural Affairs website ( www.defra.gov.uk).