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Subsidies for Vaccinations End
News release | 20 March, 2008
Increasing confidence that Australia has successfully eradicated equine influenza has led to the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases (CCEAD) deciding to cease vaccinations for horses under the eradication program.
CCEAD is the national organisation that has overseen the technical aspects of the emergency response to equine influenza (EI) and considered that, as a result of the success of the program, the use of vaccine is no longer necessary for disease eradication purposes. Australia was declared Provisionally Free of EI on 14 March.
As a result subsidised vaccinations in Queensland´s green and vaccination buffer zones will cease today, Thursday 20 March 2008.
Queensland Chief Veterinary Officer Keith McCubbin said that the decision was based on substantial evidence that EI has been eradicated in the Queensland horse population.
"While preparing for the latest zone change, we randomly sampled more than 950 properties and 4 200 horses across south east Queensland without finding any signs of EI."
"On that basis and very substantial other evidence, and in consultation with other states, CCEAD decided that there is no longer a need to vaccinate horses for disease eradication purposes."
"Horses that have not been vaccinated by 20 March will not receive a subsidised vaccination."
The National Management Group which is the peak decision making body for EI and other eradication programs did however approve that horse owners whose horses had commenced a course of vaccination would be allowed to continue the course of vaccination up to 30 June at their own expense.
"The DPI&F no longer requires proof of horses´ immune status before allowing them to move zones or attend events, so there is no need for horse owners to vaccinate their horses."
For more information about the vaccination program, visit the DPI&F website at http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/
Media contact: DPI&F , 0417 616 345
