Stardate 20011211.2256 (On Screen): After months, the Foot and Mouth problem in the UK seems finally to be under control. But I think it's become obvious to nearly everyone that the approach used to deal with it was wrong. The one weapon which was available and never used was animal vaccines. Given a sufficient supply and will to use it, millions of animals could have been saved and the entire epidemic stopped in its tracks very early. That would have had long term effects on the meat industry, but also would have prevented dramatic damage to other industries such as tourism. On balance, the overall effect on the British economy would have been much lower.
The big problem is that vaccinated animals cannot be exported, and indeed a nation which uses vaccination cannot export anything. That makes no sense at all; the opposite should be true. Vaccinated animals are the ones most likely to be safe to export. (discuss)
