email received 3 April 2008
May I respond briefly to this item:
May 1 2008 ~ "one of the positives to come out of FMD 2001 ....a 'progressive', intelligent and humane response"
- ......"I have just been talking to our vet, here completing a TB test this
morning... We concluded that one of the positives to come out of FMD 2001
was that a group has evolved, 'battle- hardened' really, that has come
together to quickly shape this appropriate response to Bluetongue. Yes, we
are vaccinating into an unknown - how long viraemic calves may remain
infectious for example - but have chosen a 'progressive', intelligent and
humane response, and done so quickly.
I know some people regard DEFRA Stakeholder meetings as a feel-good outing for numpties but I beg to differ - I feel that they have been integral to this response, and that in turn this will inform our next FMD response."
Mary, you know as well as I do that DEFRA
simply have no alternative but to vaccinate. There IS no
alternative. Neither slaughter nor movement controls have been shown to be
effective anywhere in the world. The only intervention that has ever worked to
control and eradicate this disease is vaccination. For a stakeholder to now claim that DEFRA's policy is
based on some positive and purposeful consultation process is classic
self-delusion.
best
wishes
Alan
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