vegimans Ramblings II
Created | Updated Jun 22, 2003
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Wet under Hoof
It is like walking on a bog. Hobby gardeners cannot get out to tend their pride and joy, so imagine what fun the farmers are having.
Last week I reported on how the Foot and Mouth outbreak would affect ordinary people in the UK. Since then, reports that the epidemic is out of control are abundant. Why does it take two or three weeks for politicians from every party to admit what everyone else can see almost straight away?
The spread is being blamed on slow response times; the dead animals are left in the fields for all wild life to come into contact with and help spread it around even faster.
As outlined in the forum 'Hoof and Mouth' on last week's article, the wet weather conditions can't be a help in this matter. Being a mere mortal, who am I to say whether what is being done is right or wrong.
BUT
The number of people re-booking their holidays to go to another country is increasing daily. What is the cost to the UK? It must be growing into billions, when all factors are taken into consideration.
Why then, oh why, are the officials so against introducing a vaccination programme. The way this is developing, we will have no animals left and nowhere to buy new stocks.
The cull continues and the zone around the infected areas is getting larger. Surely vaccination of all animals around an infected area would cost less, in the long run?
Will some one wake up, before it is too late, or is it too late already?
If you know why they are not vaccinating animals now - do let us in on the secret. Don't say that the reason is because it is not effective, most of us already know it will last only six months before it has to be done again. It is now we need it. A culling programme, with medical care, for our animals who have yet to contract this disease, is surely a must.
Will the blunders continue ?
Editors note: The British Government have now approached the EC to ask permission to start a vaccination programme.
