China steps up drive to vaccinate all domestic birds

China claims to be well on the way towards vaccinating every domestic bird in the country against avian flu. The bold scheme, which would mean inoculating some 14 billion birds, was announced on 15 November, 2005, and comes in response to outbreaks that animal-health officials say are dangerously widespread. The agricultural ministry says it began a large-scale compulsory vaccination programme in 2004, and some 8 billion birds have already been vaccinated.