BHA Reassures Trainers Over Equine Flu Vaccine Shortage

Supply issues facing one of the main providers of equine influenza vaccinations are not likely to be remedied quickly, but the British Horseracing Authority is working to adopt a balanced approach to the situation.

Boehringer Ingelheim advised it will be unable to replenish stocks of the Proteq shot until the end of October. However, the BHA has underlined that yards using the Prequenza or Equip vaccines should not be affected after receiving assurances from manufacturers that existing customers will be supplied.

All racehorses must be vaccinated against equine influenza, an outbreak of which brought the sport to a halt for six days in February 2019. The BHA says it remains committed to its new regime of shorter intervals between both the initial course of shots and of boosters introduced in January this year.

Ten days on from alerting trainers, the BHA released this statement: "We want to do everything possible to support trainers who may end up with limited or no access to the Proteq vaccine, and are working with our veterinary committee, BEVA, and specialists in equine infectious diseases to develop a strategy that can be implemented quickly.

"This will seek to balance the practicalities of preventing horses becoming ineligible to race with the threat of a flu outbreak occurring in the thoroughbred population during a short period of national interruption to vaccine supply.

"The practicalities of this are still being determined, and full details will be shared with you at the earliest opportunity."