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Friday 10 August 2007

No vaccination despite another possible foot and mouth outbreak

Dail Mail Headline; says: ' Pressure was growing on the Government to vaccinate thousands of cattle against food and mouth disease as vets investigated a third outbreak. If confirmed, the new case, at a farm in Wotton, near Dorking, will be the first outside the initial "surveillance zone". However, Chief Veterinary Officer Debby Reynolds today said the Government had decided not to vaccinate cattle in the area, despite having team of vets ready to administer injections standing by.

"This is the seventh day of foot and mouth, and it is a critical one. From 6 August we have had vaccination centres up and running just outside the surveillance zone," she said." However, we have decided not to vaccinate at this time. It is a decision that is under constant review, and the vaccination centres will remain in place.

If cattle are vaccinated, under EU rules they could not be exported for six months. However, experts today warned the Government was running out of time.