DAERA to host webinar updating public on bluetongue virus
According to DAERA, the session will be held on Tuesday, August 12 between 7:00p.m and 9:00p.m, and is open to all.
Department officials from the Veterinary Service and Animal Health Group will provide information on BTV-3, including the outbreaks in the European Union and in Britain, as well as surveillance, agreed disease control response and vaccination.
Representatives from the Animal and Plant Health Agency will also discuss their experiences in dealing with BTV outbreaks across England.
DAERA said that the session will conclude with an opportunity to put questions to the panel of experts.
A recording of the webinar will be made available on the DAERA website for those unable to attend.
Separately, last week (August 1) DAERA urged all poultry and bird across Northern Ireland to remain vigilant for signs of avian influenza (bird flu).
Recently, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in a small backyard flock in Co. Donegal and in flocks across six locations in England.
In all cases, birds were humanely culled to prevent further spread.
DAERA said that these findings "highlight the persistent and serious threat" posed by bird flu to both commercial and backyard flocks.
The department reminded all bird keepers, regardless of the size or type of flock, to remain alert and take all necessary steps to minimise the risk of infection, particularly from wild birds.
Recent weeks have also seen multiple cases of bird flu detected in wild birds, particularly in coastal regions of Ireland and Great Britain.
One confirmed case has been reported in a wild bird found in Co. Down.
DAERA has emphasised the critical importance of strict biosecurity in preventing the introduction and spread of the disease.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Agriland
34 minutes ago
- Agriland
Farm safety survey: 75% of NI farmers fear being hit by an animal
More farmers are following safer work practices according to new figures from a farm safety survey released by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Farm Safety Partnership (FSP). The findings from the 2023 Farm Safety Survey also revealed 90% of farmers reported they had no minor injuries or near misses on the farm in the previous 12 months. DAERA Minister Andrew Muir welcomed the statistics saying they were useful to help understand further the risks. 'These farm safety figures are vital to help us understand the scale and nature of the risk's farmers are facing and the barriers preventing improvements to keep themselves, their workers and families safe," Minister Muir said. 'They also help us shape our policies and develop targeted practical measures to protect lives. Our goal is to use them to improve standards and save lives on our farms." Deputy chief executive of the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), and vice-chair of the FSP, Bryan Monson welcomed the findings but said more still needs to be done to keep farmers safe. 'We're very encouraged by the figures that show fewer farmers never carry a child in a tractor, work with a loose bull, or remain beside an underground slurry tank while slurry was mixing," he said. "However, farming remains one of our most dangerous sectors with too many farmers still being injured or killed in what are preventable accidents. 'Worryingly, the statistics also show more farmers are suffering injuries that require medical attention and that they are taking longer off work as a result, possibly indicating an increase in the severity of the injuries,' he said. Other findings included: One in 10 (10%) experienced a minor injury and/or a near miss in the previous 12 months; 2% of farmers reported an accident that required medical attention with 48% suffering a fracture and 29% a laceration; Some 27% of those injured took more than 30 days off work compared to 16% in 2019; Less than half (45%) of those who had an accident did not require any time off work to recover; The main causes of accidents were being hit by an animal (33%) and slips at ground level (20%). The findings also revealed that 75% of farmers identified being hit or trampled by an animal as a hazard they are most concerned about while 71% are worried about slipping or tripping. Barriers to working safely included cost (77%) followed by time pressures from farm work (48%) or employment outside the farm (32%). Monson said farmers need to make safety a priority: 'I'd urge our farmers to take time each day, with every task, to stop, think and plan when working with machinery, livestock or carrying out maintenance. 'Our Stop and Think SAFE campaign is a simple but powerful message that reflects the four main causes of fatal accidents on local farms – slurry, animals, falls from height and equipment. "We know time and costs pressures are real but keeping yourself safe is not optional – it must come first to protect lives, families and livelihoods,' he added. The Farm Safety Partnership comprises: HSENI; DAERA; Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU); NFU Mutual; Young Farmers' Clubs of Ulster (YFCU); Farm Safety Foundation (FSF); Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers' Association (NIAPA); Rural Support. It is tasked with assisting Northern Ireland's farming community to work safely and tackle the problem of work-related fatalities and injuries on farms.
Agriland
16 hours ago
- Agriland
DAERA to host webinar updating public on bluetongue virus
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has confirmed that it is hosting a webinar in order to provide an update on the bluetongue virus (BTV-3). According to DAERA, the session will be held on Tuesday, August 12 between 7:00p.m and 9:00p.m, and is open to all. Department officials from the Veterinary Service and Animal Health Group will provide information on BTV-3, including the outbreaks in the European Union and in Britain, as well as surveillance, agreed disease control response and vaccination. Representatives from the Animal and Plant Health Agency will also discuss their experiences in dealing with BTV outbreaks across England. DAERA said that the session will conclude with an opportunity to put questions to the panel of experts. A recording of the webinar will be made available on the DAERA website for those unable to attend. Separately, last week (August 1) DAERA urged all poultry and bird across Northern Ireland to remain vigilant for signs of avian influenza (bird flu). Recently, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in a small backyard flock in Co. Donegal and in flocks across six locations in England. In all cases, birds were humanely culled to prevent further spread. DAERA said that these findings "highlight the persistent and serious threat" posed by bird flu to both commercial and backyard flocks. The department reminded all bird keepers, regardless of the size or type of flock, to remain alert and take all necessary steps to minimise the risk of infection, particularly from wild birds. Recent weeks have also seen multiple cases of bird flu detected in wild birds, particularly in coastal regions of Ireland and Great Britain. One confirmed case has been reported in a wild bird found in Co. Down. DAERA has emphasised the critical importance of strict biosecurity in preventing the introduction and spread of the disease.
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Robert F Kennedy Jr cuts $500m in vaccine funding for viruses like Covid
Robert F Kennedy Jr announced that 22 projects, totalling $500m, to develop vaccines using mRNA technology will be halted. Mr Kennedy's decision to terminate the projects is the latest in a string of decisions that have put the long-time vaccine critic's doubts about jabs into full effect at the US health department. Mr Kennedy has pulled back recommendations around the Covid-19 jabs, fired the panel that makes vaccine recommendations, and refused to offer a vigorous endorsement of vaccinations as a measles outbreak worsened. The health secretary criticised mRNA vaccines in a video on his social media accounts, explaining the decision to cancel projects being led by the country's leading pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer and Moderna, that offer protection against viruses like the flu, Covid-19 and H5N1. 'To replace the troubled mRNA programmes, we're prioritising the development of safer, broader vaccine strategies, like whole-virus vaccines and novel platforms that don't collapse when viruses mutate,' Mr Kennedy said in the video. I don't think I've seen a more dangerous decision in public health in my 50 years in the business Infectious disease experts say the mRNA technology used in vaccines is safe, and they credit its development during the first Trump administration with slowing the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Future pandemics will be harder to stop without the help of mRNA. 'I don't think I've seen a more dangerous decision in public health in my 50 years in the business,' said Mike Osterholm, a University of Minnesota expert on infectious diseases and pandemic preparations. He noted mRNA technology offers potential advantages of rapid production, crucial in the event of a new pandemic that requires a new vaccine. The shelving of the mRNA projects is short-sighted, as concerns about a bird flu pandemic continue to loom, said Dr Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 'It's certainly saved millions of lives,' Mr Offit said of the existing mRNA vaccines. Scientists are using mRNA for more than infectious disease vaccines, with researchers around the world exploring its use for cancer immunotherapies. ADVERTISEMENT At the White House earlier this year, billionaire tech entrepreneur Larry Ellison praised mRNA for its potential to treat cancer. Traditionally, vaccines have required growing pieces of viruses, often in chicken eggs or giant vats of cells, then purifying that material. The mRNA approach starts with a snippet of genetic code that carries instructions for making proteins. Scientists pick the protein to target, inject that blueprint and the body makes just enough to trigger immune protection - producing its own vaccine dose. In a statement on Tuesday, the health department said 'other uses of mRNA technology within the department are not impacted by this announcement'. The mRNA technology is used in approved Covid-19 and RSV jabs, but the technology has not yet been approved for a flu jab.
