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It’s almost time to airdrop rabies vaccines again
Yahoo • • health
Key Points:
- Rabies remains a serious public health threat, causing around 59,000 deaths globally each year, with 90% of cases linked to wildlife such as raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes in the U.S.
- The U.S. spends over $300 million annually on rabies control, primarily through the National Rabies Management Program overseen by the USDA, which collaborates with various agencies to mitigate the disease.
- A key strategy involves aerial distribution of oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits coated with fishmeal in targeted wildlife areas, aiming to prevent the westward spread of raccoon rabies by creating vaccine barriers.
- Starting next month, the USDA will conduct ORV bait drops across Southeastern states including Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama, with plans to expand into South Carolina counties bordering North Carolina and Georgia.
- The vaccine in ORV baits is safe for over 60 animal species, including pets, and the public is advised to avoid handling the baits or to use gloves and wash hands thoroughly if contact occurs.
