The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture and the poultry industry have launched a pilot project to vaccinate poultry against bird flu.
Initially, the project will be conducted at a single poultry farm and will continue until 2027.
The Netherlands is cautious about scaling up the vaccination due to potential significant consequences. There must be sufficient veterinarians to administer the vaccines, and the meat and eggs from vaccinated birds may face export challenges.
The Netherlands has suffered heavily from the virus in recent years. There is currently a nationwide confinement mandate for poultry farms due to recurring outbreaks.
Belgium is also struggling with the virus. Infections were detected in the province of Liège in January, followed by cases in several poultry farms in the Waasland region less than a month later. Last week, two infected cats were reported at a farm in Sint-Gillis-Waas (East Flanders).
In 2024, the Netherlands conducted a field trial showing that two tested vaccines are effective. In this new phase, the poultry will be vaccinated at a commercial farm, and the eggs will be sold within the country. However, they cannot yet be exported.
