How Vaccination Works 1. Animals susceptible to foot and mouth disease can be immunised against the disease by vaccination. Vaccines come in different forms and strengths. 500,000 doses are ready to use in case they are needed over the next two months. The European Union Vaccine Bank holds 5 million doses of a suitable vaccine.
Effective vaccines are also available commercially.
Commercial vaccines need to be administered in two doses, three to four weeks apart, while the vaccine held at Pirbright needs one dose. Cattle require one whole dose of vaccine, sheep one third. The impact of any vaccination varies between individual animals as well as between species. The level of protection achieved will vary from animal to animal and will also depend on the degree of challenge to which they are exposed. The degree of challenge to a fully vaccinated herd of flock will be substantially reduced once the animals have developed immunity.