Bird flu vaccine for chickens not yet available beyond pilot
The bird flu vaccine for chickens is still in a pilot that runs until at least early 2027, and culling remains the main way to contain the virus.
A bird flu vaccine for chickens is not yet available for general use. A pilot is running until at least early 2027.
So far, the virus has been contained mainly by culling poultry at affected farms. Sometimes a housing order (ophokplicht) is also imposed, which means animals may not go outside until the danger has passed.
The government says the European Medicines Agency has assessed the vector vaccine and the European Commission has approved it. It is authorised for vaccinating chickens against bird flu.
There is no 100% guarantee that vaccinated chickens will not catch the virus. Kees de Jong, a former egg producer and spokesperson for the poultry sector, said when the pilot was announced: "Just as with vaccinated people, we can use this to consign the disease to the past, apart from the odd incident here and there."
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ophokplicht
A housing order (ophokplicht) is an official order requiring poultry keepers to keep their birds indoors rather than letting them outside. It is imposed by the authorities in response to a risk of bird flu, usually in a defined area, and it stays in force until the danger has passed. It matters because it limits contact between wild birds and domestic poultry, which is one of the main ways avian influenza spreads.