UK: Foot in mouth sequel?

Like a villain in a poor horror film sequel, foot and mouth disease has resurfaced in the UK.

The new outbreak is likely to prompt more soul-searching among Westminster mandarins and regulators as accusations fly that the earlier response was inadequate, congratulations premature and the remit of the independent reviews too narrow. 

Last month, we analysed whether the outbreak of foot and mouth disease was set to inflict lasting damage to the UK economy.  We suggested that the authorities might well have to overcome their reluctance to use vaccines to control the outbreak and noted its ironic origins -- the source of the disease was thought to be a vaccine lab. Last weekend, the surveillance zone was lifted -- without resorting to vaccination. The UK government claimed to have controlled the outbreak and received plaudits for its speed and competence. The European Union agreed to lift its export ban as soon as possible. Crucially, the outbreak was estimated to have cost the farming industry only 36 million pounds (73 million dollars). Government and industry enjoyed a collective sigh of relief.

However last week, four days after the lifting of the surveillance zone, a new case was confirmed near Egham, ten miles from the Pirbright lab. And in horror sequel parlance, this time it is serious. The EU ban is back in place, farmers once again face catastrophe, the autumnal weather is conducive to disease spread and the government has its own case of 'foot in mouth'. High risk and incompetent production of vaccines within a UK farming industry that is not allowed to use them seems perverse.  Perhaps the review bodies need to explore more fundamental questions concerning the conduct of US agricultural policy.