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The world’s first Covid-19 vaccine for animals has been registered in Russia, the country’s agriculture watchdog announced Wednesday, paving the way for an official approval that could help prevent dangerous mutations emerging and buoy animal-driven industries, such as mink fur farming, that have been devastated by the pandemic.
An animal vaccine for Covid-19 was registered in Russia, a world first and paving the way for... [+]
GETTY
KEY FACTS
Konstantin Savenkov, deputy head of Russia’s agriculture watchdog, said the Carnivak-Cov vaccine had been registered following months of tests in a variety of different animals, including dogs, cats, mink and foxes.
All animals tested developed antibodies to the novel coronavirus, Savenkov said, with ongoing tests indicating an immunity that lasts for at least six months.
Savenkov said mass production of the vaccine could begin as early as April, adding that companies from countries including the U.S., Canada, Singapore and Poland had expressed an interest in the shot.
While some animals—including mink, dogs, cats, gorillas and tigers—are known to have been infected with Covid-19, animals are not believed to play a significant role in the diseases spread among humans and the risk from them is low, although the CDC saysmore studies will be needed to properly understand if and how different animals are affected.
KEY BACKGROUND
Safeguarding vulnerable animal populations can have a long term benefit in controlling Covid-19, preventing dangerous new mutations from emerging and protecting the livelihoods of farmers and entire, often controversial, industries such as mink farming. While pets are the first thought for many, it is in agriculture this vaccine will be most welcome. Mink are, by far, the most farmed animals for their fur and are particularly susceptible to coronavirus. The situation is worsened in farms where they are kept in large numbers in close proximity, increasing the chances of disease spreading. Outbreaks have torn through herds around the world, and, in some cases, jumped back into human populations, where dangerous mutations can emerge. In Europe, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and Denmark have all implemented culls to contain the disease in mink and there are fears of one in Poland. Various outbreaks have been reported further afield in Canada and the U.S.. Denmark’s reaction to the outbreak was particularly drastic and is feared by farmers elsewhere. The prime minister ordered the cull of the country’s entire 17-million-strong mink herd after a mutant strain of Covid-19 was discovered that could possibly undermine efforts to develop a vaccine. Scientists believe the dangerous strain to now be extinct, although the agriculture minister resigned after the government admitted it did not have the legal authority to order the cull. By November, a number of Danish mink rose from the dead en-masse due to poorly dug graves, threatening local water supplies.
www.forbes.com
An animal vaccine for Covid-19 was registered in Russia, a world first and paving the way for... [+]
GETTY
KEY FACTS
Konstantin Savenkov, deputy head of Russia’s agriculture watchdog, said the Carnivak-Cov vaccine had been registered following months of tests in a variety of different animals, including dogs, cats, mink and foxes.
All animals tested developed antibodies to the novel coronavirus, Savenkov said, with ongoing tests indicating an immunity that lasts for at least six months.
Savenkov said mass production of the vaccine could begin as early as April, adding that companies from countries including the U.S., Canada, Singapore and Poland had expressed an interest in the shot.
While some animals—including mink, dogs, cats, gorillas and tigers—are known to have been infected with Covid-19, animals are not believed to play a significant role in the diseases spread among humans and the risk from them is low, although the CDC saysmore studies will be needed to properly understand if and how different animals are affected.
KEY BACKGROUND
Safeguarding vulnerable animal populations can have a long term benefit in controlling Covid-19, preventing dangerous new mutations from emerging and protecting the livelihoods of farmers and entire, often controversial, industries such as mink farming. While pets are the first thought for many, it is in agriculture this vaccine will be most welcome. Mink are, by far, the most farmed animals for their fur and are particularly susceptible to coronavirus. The situation is worsened in farms where they are kept in large numbers in close proximity, increasing the chances of disease spreading. Outbreaks have torn through herds around the world, and, in some cases, jumped back into human populations, where dangerous mutations can emerge. In Europe, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and Denmark have all implemented culls to contain the disease in mink and there are fears of one in Poland. Various outbreaks have been reported further afield in Canada and the U.S.. Denmark’s reaction to the outbreak was particularly drastic and is feared by farmers elsewhere. The prime minister ordered the cull of the country’s entire 17-million-strong mink herd after a mutant strain of Covid-19 was discovered that could possibly undermine efforts to develop a vaccine. Scientists believe the dangerous strain to now be extinct, although the agriculture minister resigned after the government admitted it did not have the legal authority to order the cull. By November, a number of Danish mink rose from the dead en-masse due to poorly dug graves, threatening local water supplies.
‘World’s First’ Animal Covid-19 Vaccine Registered In Russia – Here’s What That Means
Millions of mink were culled due to widespread outbreaks of Covid-19, sparking fears for the future of the fur industry.
www.forbes.com
