Bluetongue Vaccination Strategy Update - Position as of 7th March 2008

The Animal Health and Welfare Stakeholder Group, having further discussed the issues surrounding the potential use of vaccination against Bluetongue in Great Britain, and in particular in Scotland, are of the opinion that:

1. The present disease situation in Great Britain is unpredictable and accordingly the Group recommends that a supply of Bluetongue (serotype 8) vaccine is ordered. A sufficient quantity to vaccinate all susceptible domestic animals in Scotland should be tendered for.
2. Any vaccination programme in Scotland would best be carried out during the vector free period. The provisions of the programme should be kept under constant review in the light of the emerging disease situation in Great Britain. The vaccination programme could contain options to vaccinate on a geographical basis using zones.
3. At the present time the Group is not in a position to recommend whether the vaccination programme should be voluntary or compulsory until it has had an opportunity to discuss the results of an epidemiological and economic analysis. The Group agrees that any vaccination programme must deliver protection from clinical disease and avoid the disease becoming endemic in Scotland. There is as yet no agreed position on the financing of the vaccination programme.
4. Certification of vaccination should be on the basis that movements from Protection Zones into free areas should require the same level of certification, whether those free areas are within the UK or other Member States.