A vaccine against coronavirus in mink and raccoons (Nyctereutes procyonoides) is being developed by the Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association in cooperation with the University of Helsinki.
According to current data, mink are easily susceptible to coronavirus. Under laboratory conditions, the virus has also infected raccoons. Foxes are not known to be infected.
The vaccine is currently in the testing phase and testing is expected to take several months. According to the researchers, it is not yet possible to give an estimate of when the vaccine will be ready for production and distribution.
Outbreaks of coronavirus have been observed in mink animals in the Netherlands and Denmark. Coronavirus is a zoonosis, a disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans.
A vaccine that protects animals would eliminate the biggest worries of Finnish fur farmers about the future of the industry, says the research director of the fur farmers’ association. Jussi Peura.
Mink coronavirus infections have been detected in 10 countries. In most cases, both infected animals and other minks have been destroyed on farms where the virus has been found. Sweden has taken a different approach, observing infected animals and fur farms, but did not order the animals to drop.
The deer says that since last spring, the Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association has created ways to reduce the risk of infection. The Food and Drug Administration has not detected any coronavirus infections in the monitoring of mink farms.
"In Finland, fur breeders have done a double job both to protect themselves and the animals on the farms. The vaccine would greatly facilitate their work," The deer points out.
The deer also states that Finland has a better chance of fighting the virus than many other countries, because some of the farmed fur animals are foxes where the virus has not been detected. In addition, the network of fur farms has spread over a wide area.
Pet coronavirus vaccines are also being developed in the United States and Russia. The coronavirus has also been found to infect cats.
Quelle: Die nordische Seite
