State announces additional vaccine orders

“We took over an order for 1 million vaccines for sheep and 5 millions of vaccines for cattle”assures Marc Fesneau, resigning Minister of Agriculture, on franceinfo Tuesday August 20. Bluetongue is making a comeback in France and a targeted vaccination campaign is being deployed. “These vaccines which make it possible to reduce the effects in terms of mortality on sheep and the effects in terms of disease on cattle” will be “supported by the state and made available” breeders to strengthen the vaccination campaign which has “already started”the minister said.

“As early as July, I had asked that we could prepare a certain number of vaccines and orders, seeing this disease arriving from Germany and Belgium”recalls Marc Fesneau. The resigning minister promises to “continue to ensure that farmers can benefit from vaccines to protect their sheep and cattle”.

If he says he understands their “concerns” And “impatience” that he judges “normal”Marc Fesneau believes, however, that talking about a delay in the delivery of vaccines is “a bit excessive”Some breeders complain about late delivery of vaccines to combat this disease. “blue tongue disease”with delays of up to one week. “It doesn’t seem crazy to me when you know what vaccine production is.”replies the minister, also assuring that the average time to receive the vaccine is around 24 hours to 72 hours.

For the time being, the vaccination campaign is focusing on the northern part of France, Hauts-de-France, Grand Est, Normandy, Île-de-France and the Centre region. This area has already seen the emergence of another variant of bluetongue from the border. “If necessary, we will expand and adjust our systems”warns Marc Fesneau, this variant being “much more virulent”.