Hhmm, as one of the field epidemiologists working on FMD in the
centre of the outbreak (Cumbria) during 2001, I can certainly share
some of the lessons. As a group we published quite a lot on it
during and after the outbreak.
In infected herds, there was no resistance to the cull. The
compensation scheme was based on full market value and was paid
rapidly. farmers hated seeing their animals killed but the fear of
the speed with which FMD can spread was enough to produce
compliance. If the compensation scheme had not been as generous and
well operated as it was, I think things would have been very
different. But as it was, the culling of infected farms was rarely
resisted. There were issues of how quickly we could get them dead
and then disposal and these would need to be taken into account.
However, the dangerous contact "at risk" pre-emptive culling policy
used during the 2001 outbreak was a different matter. For much of
the outbreak it driven to a large extent by computer modelling and
the extent of the cull created by this led to great resentment
amongst farmers even though there was a full value compensation
scheme. They would rather have kept their animals than allow them to
be culled when they didn't think the decision to cull was justified.
Where we could demonstrate a real risk based on contact, they mainly
accepted the decision, albeit sometimes reluctantly. Where the
decision was based purely on being a neighbour of an infected farm,
it produced fury, resistance and left a long lasting legacy of
mistrust of government veterinary services. And in retrospect we
have shown that such an automatic culling policy was not required.
The farmers felt that they knew that at the time.
I think this emphasises that any stamping out policy must be
developed in peace time, in collaboration with the livestock keepers
and hand in hand with a compensation policy.
Nick Honhold
BVSc MSc PhD MRCVS DipECVPH
On 12/02/2014 12:05, Serge T.
NZIETCHUENG wrote:
It will be useful to know the lessons learnt of the
use of SO during the FMD outbreak in UK will be useful. Is
there anyone who can share with us the main lessons learnt?
Serge Nzietchueng
Dear All
In my opinion, a stamping out policy for infected
units with ring vaccination is perhaps ideal.
However, I am not sure that a stamping out policy is
necessary as there is no carrier state and little or
no spread via fomites. Nor is there any risk to
human health. The reason for stamping out would be
to stop local spread within a village. For any
stamping out policy to be effective, there will NEED
to be a properly funded and functioning compensation
scheme so that owners do not simply more animals out
of an infected village, something that is easy to do
with sheep and goats, particularly young ones.
Compensation schemes have often not been functional
and/or funded.
As animals will either die or recover and have no
carrier status, stamping out may not be necessary
and could be counter productive.
Nick Honhold
BVSc MSc PhD MRCVS DipECVPH
On
11/02/2014 14:53, Paul Rossiter wrote:
Dear Moderator,
Just one question to be raised:
Would it be easy to put PPR to an end
without stamping out policy?
Best regards