The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer and the Scottish and Welsh Governments have announced Avian Influenza Prevention Zones for England, Scotland and Wales to help protect poultry from the highly pathogenic strain of Avian Influenza (H5N8) currently circulating in mainland Europe. All zones across Great Britain will remain in place for 30 days and during that time keepers of poultry and other captive birds will be required to keep their birds indoors, or take appropriate steps to keep them separate from wild birds.

Responding to the declarations, BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said, “These are sensible precautions to protect captive birds and poultry across Great Britain from the threat of migratory birds spreading this disease. We would urge poultry keepers to be vigilant and get veterinary help and advice at an early stage. Any suspicion of the disease must be reported to the APHA and their centralised contact number can be found on the APHA website.

“It is important to understand that there is no Avian Influenza in the UK at the moment and there has been no evidence to date that the disease poses any threat to human health whatsoever.”

Measures applying in the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone

Any person in charge of poultry and captive birds must take all appropriate and practicable steps to ensure that:

(a)  poultry are housed or otherwise kept separate from wild birds;

(b)  other captive birds are kept separate from wild birds

(c)  poultry and other captive birds are provided with feed and water which is not accessible to wild birds.

(d)  any person who comes into contact with poultry and other captive birds must take all reasonable precautions to avoid the transfer of contamination between premises, including cleansing and disinfection of equipment, vehicles and footwear;

(e)  steps are taken to reduce the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry or captive birds are kept to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products;

(f)  steps are taken to implement effective vermin control programmes, including preventing the entry of wild birds, around buildings where poultry or captive birds are kept;

(g)  housing and equipment is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected at the end of a production cycle;

(h)  disinfectant at the right concentration is kept at all points where people should use it, such as farm entrances and before entering poultry housing or enclosures.