The first FIFUR member farmers have started vaccinations against SARS-Cov2-coronavirus on Finnish farmed mink stock on their farms.
“It is great that we are now able to vaccinate animals as the first actor in the European Union after a long licensing process and after the production of vaccines”, says Marja Tiura, Managing Director of FIFUR.
Mink vaccinations are carried out with a mink coronavirus vaccine developed in a joint project by FIFUR and a group of researchers at the University of Helsinki. A prescription-like, experimental vaccine product called “FurcoVac” was granted a conditional usage permit by the Finnish Food Authority on 22 Sep 2021. Conditional usage permit for a larger batch of vaccine was granted by the Finnish Food Authority on 20 Dec 2021. The product does not have a marketing authorisation, the applicant and the recipient of the permit is FIFUR. The vaccine project is fully funded by the fur branch in Finland and FIFUR.
“Primarily, mink will be vaccinated with just under 50,000 doses of vaccine on a risk-based selection on farms in municipalities in the fur production area where corona cases have now occurred most in humans. The aim is to be able to vaccinate all breeding mink females after the turn of the year. Each mink receives two doses and the vaccinated animals come closer to 200,000,” says Jussi Peura, Research Director of FIFUR, who is responsible for FIFUR's corona preparedness.
In mink farms, strict corona protection rules set by the authorities apply and traffic to and from the farm must be kept to a minimum. Therefore, unfortunately, FIFUR and mink producers cannot allow media access to farms to film vaccinations. Instead, FIFUR distributes images via the media service.
“Disease protection and the EU's testing programme on mink farms will continue. We must thank our member farmers and farm employees who have been able to keep up with the strict corona security measures for over 1.5 years, and the Finnish mink farms have so far not been diagnosed with corona infections in animals,” Jussi Peura thanks the producers.
Further information:
Jussi Peura, Research Director, Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association FIFUR, +358 400 637 255
Johanna Korpela, Sr. Veterinarian, Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association, FIFUR, +358 50 464 8834
Marja Tiura, Managing Director, Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association FIFUR, +358 50 511 3060
More information about the attached pictures for media use:
Photographer/source: Jorma Uusitalo/Turkistalous-magazine
More information about pictures for caption:
Mink vaccination 1
In the picture minks are given a vaccination against coronavirus at a fur farm in Kalajoki.
The vaccination is given by Tuomas Joensuu and on the left Tapani Mäki-Petäjä.
Mink vaccination 2
In the picture minks are given a vaccination against coronavirus at a fur farm in Kalajoki.
Mink vaccination 3
In the picture minks are given a vaccination against coronavirus at a fur farm in Kalajoki.
The vaccination is given by Tuomas Joensuu and on the right Maksim Stelnykovych.
FIFUR_Press release Corona vaccination on mink starts 2021_20211222_EN.pdf
Koko: 0,13 MB Tyyppi: pdfFIFUR_Press release Corona vaccination on mink starts 2021_20211222_EN.pdf
Koko: 0,13 MB Tyyppi: pdfThe Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association – FIFUR is the parent association of the fur industry and the lobbying and training organization of its members. Professional fur animal husbandry has been practiced in Finland for over a hundred years and the association was founded in 1928. The association's regional associations comprise a total of 632 member companies with around 700 farms for fur animals. The association and the producers own the majority of the Finnish marketing and auction company Saga Furs Plc. Finland's fur industry is a pioneer in certification worldwide. The objective of the voluntary quality system, launched in 2005, is to maintain and improve the welfare of animals reared on Finnish fur farms, the quality of production and the professional skills of fur farmers.
© Koodiviidakko Oy - Y-tunnus 1939962-1