When looking back is tough but important.

Abstract

‘PLEASE stay out! You could be inadvertently spreading this virus.’ Although such a warning would be apt today, as we grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic, this was the tough message put out 20 years ago by the National Farmers' Union during one of the worst animal disease outbreaks Great Britain has experienced. The foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) crisis, which spanned almost the entirety of 2001, hit rural communities hard, in terms of both economy and emotional wellbeing. For many, life would never be the same again. The virus was first found in pigs in an Essex abattoir on 19 February of that year, but it was soon apparent that the disease had been well seeded in the country for weeks. As one vet told me: ‘I knew as soon as I heard that this was big, but we didn't realise just how big.‘ By the beginning of March, Great Britain had recorded over 50 cases and by the time the outbreak was over, records show we had racked up more than 2000 cases (see pp 132–133). Cumbria was by far the most affected county, experiencing nearly half of the total cases recorded. At the outbreak's peak, nearly 100,000 animals were culled every day. Images of burning pyres across the countryside were synonymous with the outbreak, and unforgettable for many. Farms with confirmed cases lost all their animals but received government compensation for their losses, as did those whose stock was killed as part of a 3 km contiguous cull around confirmed cases. However, farmers who were affected by the nationwide movement restrictions, meaning they were unable to sell livestock or meat, received nothing. Farmers essentially had to quarantine on their farms, often alone as families stayed away, terrified their stock would be next to be culled. Information was also hard to come by, as this was a time before most people had smartphones and instant access to the internet. The psychological effect on farmers wasn't well documented at the time. The NHS reported no increase in demand for its mental health services, suggesting that affected farmers didn't reach out for help. Indeed, research after the event found that most farmers had turned to family, friends and their vets for support. A study published in The BMJ in 2005 assessed the impact of FMD once it had been eradicated, describing it as just as much a human crisis as an animal one. As well as seeing their livelihoods disappearing before their eyes, farmers felt bereavement, guilt and fear of a new animal disease outbreak – and these feelings were still present 18 months into the study. “The events of 2001 shaped the careers of many of the vets involved For vets, it was similarly grave. Farm work in large animal and mixed practices almost completely stopped – vets could only go onto farms to investigate suspected FMD and to direct cull operations, due to the risks of spreading the disease and the movement restrictions that were in place across Great Britain. Those vets who volunteered to investigate suspected cases knew a single confirmation would have devastating consequences for the farmers – and they would have to deliver the bad news. The work was relentless and harrowing. In spring, a time traditionally associated with new life, vets were ordering the slaughter of lamb after lamb. As well as providing pastoral care for devastated farmers and their families, they were learning how to build pyres. While some vets were met with hostility – a result of the sheer frustration and anger of farming families – most were met with mugs of tea, offers of dinner and a smile, a feeling of comradery as everyone battled through the situation. The events of 2001 shaped the subsequent careers of many of the vets involved (see p 159). As BVA president James Russell remembers: ‘It was the beginning of my deep and profound respect for the farming community.‘ For those vets who were on the FMD frontline, it can be difficult to look back, as emotions felt at the time can resurface. In a similar way we will no doubt have much to reflect on in the aftermath of Covid-19. As our shops and workplaces reopen, just as the farms reopened for business in early 2002, we will consider the lessons we can learn to protect our future. BVA grants editorial freedom to the Editor of Vet Record. The views expressed in the journal are those of the authors and may not necessarily comply with BVA policy