Star Metro - Calls for UK govt to allow bird flu vaccines for poultry

To date 27 farms have had confirmed cases of bird flu, most being in England and with one outbreak discovered in Scotland.

On Friday, affected poultry were discovered on a commercial property in Norfolk, eastern England, and the birds were being destroyed.

So far, health authorities have only detected one rare case of bird flu in a human during the latest outbreak, and say "the risk to the general public's health is very low".

But fears are rising among farmers that the disease may spread.

The head of the National Farmers' Union poultry board, James Mottershead, said "for the long-term stability of the UK poultry sector" it was essential that the UK's environment department should prioritise its "efforts on an avian influenza vaccination plan for birds".

There are rising concerns about the situation, Gary Ford, spokesman for the British Free Range Egg Producers Association, told AFP.

"We regard vaccination as potentially an important tool in terms of tackling this dreadful disease and preventing more flocks from being infected with avian influenza," he added.

Vaccinations against bird flu are currently not allowed in the UK, except in zoos.

To prevent further spread, the environment department has imposed mandatory culls of birds within a three kilometre radius of a confirmed case, as well as stepped up hygiene measures and controls across wider areas.

Minister for food security Daniel Zeichner told parliament this week that the government would keep the issue of vaccinations "under consideration".

But he cautioned that "involves international trade issues which are significant" for the UK, a major exporter of hatching eggs and day-old chicks.

The environment ministry told AFP that the UK was continuing "to invest in the research and development of vaccines through our bird flu vaccination taskforce".

It is hoped the results of the research can be published before the spring.

D.Ch. Nadeau--SMC