EXTRACT FROM Defra Contingency Plan - Version 3.1
Pages 20 and 21

OUTLINE OF POLICIES

2.21 The following policies will be applied on confirmation of FMD:
(Note: The first case will be confirmed by Laboratory Test)

· A GB wide national movement ban of susceptible species will be put in place immediately.

· Export health certificates for animals and animal products will be withdrawn.  Exports from GB of susceptible animals during the risk period will be identified and notified to the importing countries.

· Diseased and other susceptible animals on infected premises will be culled with a target of within 24 hours of report.  Dangerous contacts will be culled with a target of within 48 hours of report.

· Emergency Vaccination will immediately be considered as an option based upon emerging epidemiological and logistical factors.  If emergency vaccination is used it would be on the basis of vaccinate-to-live wherever possible. 

· A Protection Zone will be imposed with a minimum radius of 3km around the Infected Premises and a Surveillance Zone with a minimum radius of 10km.  In the Protection Zone no animal movements will be allowed except for movement to emergency slaughter.  In both the Protection and Surveillance Zones, there will be requirements for increased levels of biosecurity on farms, cleansing and disinfection (C&D) of vehicles, people and machinery moving on/off farms.  Movement of animals, animal products, feed and bedding will be prohibited, except under licence.  Products from animals in these zones will be subject to treatment to ensure destruction of the FMD virus.

· Disposal by incineration will be implemented immediately with rendering as the next option and other disposal routes being available as an additional resource subject to environmental, land use planning and public health considerations.

· Footpaths will only be closed on Infected Premises and within the 3km Protection Zone, (A Veterinary Risk Assessment and Protocol for Rights of Way closure is at Annex E).

2.22 Further action will depend on the circumstances of a particular outbreak and on scientific and veterinary advice.  The Decision Tree for FMD control strategies (Annex B) will be followed in deciding what action to take.  This sets out the factors the Government will take into account in deciding which strategy to adopt in order to control and eradicate the disease.  The Animal Health Act 1981, as amended by the Animal Health Act 2002, lays a duty on the Secretary of State to consider vaccination as a means of preventing the spread of the disease.  Wherever possible this would be on the basis of emergency vaccinate-to-live. If a decision not to vaccinate were taken the reasons would be explained before further measures were introduced.
Consultation with interested parties, to address outstanding technical, commercial and communications issues on emergency vaccination is continuing.

2.23 Additional control strategies include:

· culling of other susceptible livestock exposed to the disease (e.g. premises under virus plumes, premises contiguous to the infected premises); and

· pre-emptive or 'firebreak' culling of animals not on infected premises, not dangerous contacts or not necessarily exposed to the disease, in order to prevent the wider spread of the disease outwith an area.

2.24 A Disease Control (Slaughter) Protocol setting out the requirements that must be followed in the event of a pre-emptive cull is at Annex C.

Further Action

2.25 Once FMD is confirmed the main elements of this plan are brought into action. 

Section 3 sets out the resources that would be deployed;
Section 4 describes the key operations that have a central input;
Section 5 sets out the main elements of the Communications Plan;
Section 6 describes the strategic organisations and structures;
Section 7 the tactical organisation; and
Section 8 the operational plan. 

These last two are augmented by the SVS instructions and the local office contingency plans.