Dermatitis, anti-vaxxers fire local health authority veterinarians: "Shame on you, you servants! You want to vaccinate healthy animals."
At a demonstration in Masainas, doctors from the health authority showed up with barracelli but were turned away. Councilor Agus: "The efforts of many farmers have been compromised by the behavior of a few."A no-vax wall was erected in Masainas to prevent the vaccination of a herd of cattle against lumpy skin disease.
"Shame," "servants of the system": these are just some of the expressions directed at the ASL veterinarians who, accompanied by barracelli given the tense climate, showed up at the company owned by Samuel Caboni.
The images documenting the long exchange between professionals and activists are being released by the opposition themselves.
The reception toward the veterinarians isn't the best. The farmer asks to see the leaflet for the vaccine his animals are supposed to be given: "They're healthy," he emphasizes. A veterinarian from the local health authority replies: "And that's precisely why they need to be vaccinated." But according to the anti-vaxxers present, that's not how it works. Their argument is, "Healthy animals shouldn't be vaccinated."
Those who remember receiving vaccines at a young age are aware that they were administered in excellent health. But it seems that in certain segments of the population, this certainty has evaporated.
Another objection from anti-vaxxers: they claim that healthy animals have been vaccinated elsewhere and have fallen ill shortly thereafter. Therefore, the vaccine would carry the disease, and would not be useful—as it is—in preventing it. So much so that veterinarians arriving at Masainas are also asked to sign a sort of self-certification in which they assume unspecified responsibility that the injections will not cause the disease.
The vets speak calmly, repeating their job over and over again. And they also have to prove that the vials are stored at the correct temperature. They do, but it's not enough. Those cows don't need to be vaccinated, according to the anti-vaxxers.
When an outbreak of dermatitis was confirmed in Escalaplano in recent days, Agriculture Councilor Francesco Agus said: "Over the past year, we have asked farmers and trade associations to make significant sacrifices. These sacrifices have been met with seriousness and a sense of responsibility by the vast majority of the sector, allowing us to overcome complex challenges and achieve significant results, most notably the resumption of livestock movements announced a few weeks ago. Therefore, it is unacceptable that everyone's efforts can be compromised by the behavior of a few who continue to disobey the rules. We must move forward with the vaccination campaign and be firm in enforcing compliance with the rules."