The Philippine Department of Agriculture has developed contingency plans to deploy HPAI vaccines in “highly vulnerable areas”.  The nation will prioritize vaccination for breeder chickens, commercial egg production flocks and in addition, backyard poultry including waterfowl that serve as reservoirs.  At this time there is no intention to vaccinate commercial broilers.

Coincident with the vaccination program, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will conduct surveillance to monitor immunity in response to vaccination and to detect the emergence of HPAI on farms.

The proposed program of vaccination and the priority for long-lived birds should be considered by many nations including the U.S. that experience recurring outbreaks of avian influenza disseminated by free-living birds. Even intensive biosecurity cannot prevent transmission from wild birds on to farms over short distances presumably by the aerogenous route.