Despite the national commitment to protection and protection, there is the greatest prevalence of all in Europe. More than 2.4 million chickens and other poultry have died or died in the Netherlands since October last year due to bird flu.
Distribution all over the world
And according to Coopmans, the risk of people catching bird flu is also not zero. “What we do know is that avian influenza viruses can still make strange leaps, especially the type H5 we have now which is found in wild birds in many places in the Netherlands.”
According to Coopmans, the situation is more worrying than it was ten years ago because viruses have spread in wild birds all over the world. “The changing situation is a reason to take action,” Koopmans says.
poultry vaccination
Many farmers argue in favor of vaccinating chickens, but according to bird flu expert Nancy Berens of Wageningen University, there is no vaccine available yet against this alternative in the Netherlands. It is also questionable whether the available vaccines protect against spread. “It’s better to look at sustainable solutions,” she says.
Trade problems
The D66 also supports the vaccination of poultry, although Member of Parliament Gerd de Groot admits that current vaccines are not yet perfect. There are also European obstacles to the vaccination of poultry.
Opponents fear trade problems because importers fear they will also import the virus with vaccinated chickens. De Groot believes that pollinated meat can be clearly distinguished by simple labeling.
One healthy approach
To protect ourselves and animals in the future from new zoonoses and epidemics, a major change in the system is needed. According to virologist Marion Koopmans, the One Health approach, which looks at human and animal health and the environment as a whole, is essential.
