THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said that it has created a technical advisory group for the initial phase of the African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine trials.
“All of our reports will be given to them… If the result is not good, cancel everything. If the result is good, we will slowly increase the vaccinations,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Poultry and Swine Constance J. Palabrica told reporters on Thursday.
The DA said 10,000 doses of ASF vaccines are set to arrive by Aug. 16, purchased via emergency procurement after a surge in cases was reported in Batangas province.
“We got a controlled permit from the (Food and Drug Administration) and we have to follow the conditions given by the FDA regarding this vaccine,” Mr. Palabrica added.
The FDA granted a Certificate of Product Registration for the AVAC ASF Live Vaccine from Vietnam.
“This vaccine must be given to hogs that do not have ASF. For it to act fast… if this is given to those with the disease then this will invalidate our controlled vaccination,” he said.
The DA has allocated P350 million for the trial, sufficient to fund about 600,000 vials.
Vaccination will initially be concentrated in red zones, or those areas with active ASF cases, and pink zones, or those adjacent to zones with infections.
The DA has resorted to checkpoints to prevent the spread of ASF cases after the Batangas outbreak.
The checkpoints have been set up along Commonwealth and Mindanao Avenues in Quezon City; EDSA Balintawak; Marulas and Malanday, Valenzuela City; STAR Tollway in Sto. Tomas, Batangas; Calamba, Laguna; and Alfonso, Cavite.
Mr. Palabrica added that the DA is looking at more strategic locations to place its checkpoints.
“We are going to refine it, then we will add other areas. What we are trying to find are those areas where diseased pigs could be transported. We want to protect the north and south of Luzon,” he said.
As of Aug. 8, 62 municipalities across 22 provinces had active ASF cases, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry. — Adrian H. Halili
