The ministry warned, "Don't touch it!" as vaccine rain is expected to fall from the sky!

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The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry announced that it will start aerial vaccination between September 24 and October 24 to prevent rabies cases caused by foxes in Bilecik and its surroundings. The ministry warned citizens to avoid direct contact with vaccinated baits.

AERIAL VACCINATION AGAINST RABIES

In the context of efforts to combat rabies in wildlife and to prevent rabies cases caused by foxes, it was announced that aerial vaccination will be conducted in the area including Bilecik between September 24 and October 24. The vaccination in Bilecik will take place in areas covering Yenipazar, Gölpazarı, Söğüt, and İnhisar districts, as well as certain parts of the city center. Additionally, detailed information has been shared with citizens regarding the matter by the authorities.

"DO NOT TOUCH THE VACCINATED BAIT"

In a statement made by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, it was stated, "The vaccine is a live vaccine used orally in foxes. Foxes can smell the bait from quite a distance. While eating the bait, the fox will break the capsule containing the vaccine with its teeth, and the vaccine will spread into the oral cavity. As a result of the vaccine spreading throughout the body, immunity against the disease will be formed. If you see a bait, if it is still intact, push it with your foot to a place where others cannot see it."

The bait itself is not harmful to human health, but it is best not to touch it. Additionally, the presence of human scent reduces the attractiveness of the bait for foxes. If you see a discarded vaccine capsule, do not touch it. Although the vaccine has passed many safety tests, it is a live virus vaccine, and therefore the World Health Organization has developed clear recommendations regarding what to do in this situation. Individuals who come into contact with the capsule should wash the body parts that touched the capsule with soap and water and seek medical attention as soon as possible," the statement said.

"NOT SUFFICIENT FOR CATS AND DOGS"

In the continuation of the statement, it was mentioned, "Unfortunately, you cannot use vaccinated baits to vaccinate animals like cats and dogs. The vaccine has been specifically developed for foxes. If dogs and cats eat the bait, there is no danger, but if these animals lick you, the area of contact should be washed with soap and water immediately, and medical attention should be sought as soon as possible. This vaccine has been tested in cats and dogs and is safe for animals. However, the dose in the vaccinated bait is not sufficient to vaccinate a cat or dog against rabies. These types of pets require much higher doses, so it is unnecessary for people to try to vaccinate their dogs with oral rabies bait."

To contribute to this vaccination effort, you can inform others, especially children, not to touch the vaccinated baits after they have been distributed and to wash the area with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately if they accidentally touch the vaccine capsules. If you have a cat or dog, you may restrict their outdoor access for a while. This way, you can prevent them from eating the vaccinated baits before the foxes find them. Most of the vaccinated baits will be consumed by wildlife within 4-5 days," it was reported.

Finally, the following information was shared regarding the matter: "The vaccine has been tested in non-human primates and has been found to be safe even at doses much higher than those contained in the vaccinated bait. However, with all live vaccines, especially when it comes to children, great care must be taken. The concerning issue is that when children find vaccinated baits, or worse, an opened vaccine capsule, they do not always tell their parents. It is always very important to know what children have come into contact with.

"POTENTIAL RISK DECREASES OVER TIME"

There is no danger in the intact bait. The important question for risk assessment is whether contact was made with the capsule containing the vaccine (it poses no risk as long as it remains inside the capsule) or with a punctured vaccine capsule (whether there is still vaccine inside the capsule or not). The date of contact is also important for risk assessment (how many days have passed between the date of contact and the distribution dates of the vaccines?). The potential risk decreases rapidly over time. Very small children cannot communicate any contact situation to their parents, and they tend to put everything in their mouths. The point to be careful about is that the vaccinated baits (and the intact vaccine capsules) are actually brought to places where they were not distributed.

"PEOPLE SHOULD LEAVE THE BAITS ON THE GROUND"

Some animals carry the baits to different places. Therefore, the public campaign is very important. People should know what these baits are and that they should be left on the ground. If they find the baits in their gardens, they should pick them up without direct contact. They should use a glove or a plastic bag to pick them up and take them to a veterinarian or health facility for disposal. Additionally, despite more than 250 million baits being distributed in Europe and many reports of human contact with the baits, there has been no reported case of rabies contracted from the vaccine."

It was announced that citizens can contact the Provincial/District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry for detailed information, technical support, requests, complaints, and opinions.