BHA to propose eight-month renewal period for equine flu vaccinations

Permanent changes to racing’s rules to strengthen protection against equine influenza are to be proposed by the BHA in consultation with trainers and others in the industry.

A temporary measure introduced this year reduced the vaccination renewal period for horses in training to six months from 12 months.

The BHA, after discussions with its veterinary committee, will propose to make eight months the new standard as of January 1, 2020.

The veterinary committee's view is that six months is optimum, but the BHA has taken into account views from trainers to avoid horses potentially needing to be vaccinated during their racing seasons. However, the eight-month standard will mean, in practice, horses are still required to be vaccinated twice in a year.

The BHA believes the range of biosecurity controls that exist ensure the eight-month standard provides an appropriate balance between risk and pragmatism.

In the meantime, as of Wednesday, existing temporary measures will be adjusted so that connections of horses presented at a racecourse will need to show they have been vaccinated against equine influenza within the last eight months, with a one-month grace period, meaning nine months for practical purposes.

It has also been determined that the current requirement for a health declaration form to be submitted on arrival at the racecourse for each runner will cease to be effective from Wednesday for British-trained runners from licensed yards.

Hunter chasers from unlicensed yards and international runners will still need to provide the health declaration, and for international runners a negative result for equine influenza from a nasopharyngeal swab to the BHA, no more than 72 hours before the horse's arrival in Britain, is still required.

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