Lawmakers urge USDA against avian flu vaccination
In a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mrs. Brooke Rollins Senators and Congress Members supports the no introduction of vaccines as a means of handling bird flu outbreaks. In the letter they specify that the major affected branch is the egg-type layers. "Since the start of the current outbreak in 2022, of the more than 150 million birds affected, more than 77 percent have been commercial egg-laying hens, 12 percent commercial turkeys, and eight percent commercial broilers, according to USDA." Moreover, they wrote "most US trading partners do not recognize countries that vaccinate as "free of HPAI" due to concerns that vaccines can mask the presence of the virus. Therefore, U.S. trading partners do not accept exports from countries that vaccinate, either for specific products categories, regions that vaccinate, or for all poultry from the country. In other words, if an egg-laying hen in Michigan is vaccinated for HPAI, it's unclear to the rest of the US poultry industry whether our trading partners would accept an unvaccinated broiler chicken from Mississippi."
According to the applicants America's broiler producers export more than 15 percent of production valued at nearly $5 billion annually. So any effect on export can have huge economic impact.
The authors' appeal to prevent the use of vaccines is clear. But, as they themselves write, "it is unclear what the importers' position will be in the event of the vaccine being used."
Moreover, in this event, a professional and creative solution is required that will lead to the right solution. Stating what not to do and not offering a solution is an easy way out.
Today, the situation is that bird flu has become endemic in many states in the US, the disease has become uncontrollable, and the measures taken today have proven that this approach has failed. The virus is undergoing rapid evolution, it is a zoonotic virus with pandemic potential, so saying what not to do is the easy and simple solution.
Professional and political leadership is required that will lead to integrated solutions that will not harm exports (eg. regionalization) and will allow vaccines to be integrated in at-risk areas and the poultry sectors at risk.
