Although there are many variants of the virus, this particular 0 strain has been identified, the vaccine has been used in the past and is sufficiently effective to eliminate the disease again. Dutch officials are preparing 1.25 million doses for despatch, and securing supplies of a further two million doses. The UK holds 50,000 doses and is eligible for a further five million doses that are held in the French city of Lyon. The economics of slaughter have probably not been calculated for 20 years. The sums have surely changed.
Farmers now rely on tourism and rural recreation for much of their income.
The total value recently calculated at 12 billion a year dwarfs agricultural sums. The direct cost of the cull and lost sales has been estimated at 3bn. The cull is indefensible and sickening, and to the benefit of very few traders and large multiple retailers. The cost of the vaccine is around l0p a dose, and two doses a year are likely to be necessary until the threat of the disease has dissipated. If it were possible to swiftly control the disease by slaughter, it is not remotely worth doing it any more like this.