September 2004
Dear North Hempstead resident:
Earlier this week, in response to the six rabid raccoons confirmed in Nassau County, the New York State Health Department and the United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services (USDA) distributed small packets of an oral rabies vaccine by hand and dropped by helicopter. The vaccine was placed in raccoon habitats, including woods, bushes and stream beds. The bait is a small condiment-like packet of liquid vaccine which is coated with fishmeal crumbles or presented as a brown fishmeal cube to attract raccoons.
While the bait itself will not harm anyone, the Nassau County Health Department recommends that Poison Control Center (516 542-2323) be contacted if: (1) a child bites through the packet and ingests the liquid; (2) if anyone comes in bare-hand contact with the bait (even if the bait is intact); (3) if you have seen your pet with bait in its mouth.
To avoid inadvertent contact with the baits the New York State and Nassau County Departments of Health recommend:
· Supervise children’s outdoor activities both during and for approximately one week following the bait distribution.
· Keep all dogs and cats indoors or on leashes during the oral bait distribution and for about one week afterwards. This will allow raccoons to eat the vaccine-laden baits and become immunized and will decrease the chance of pets eating the baits.
· The baits are not harmful to dogs or cats, but a pet may vomit if they eat a large number of them. Do not try to remove a packet from an animal’s mouth.
· Remember that it is not possible to get rabies from the vaccine. The vaccine does not contain the rabies virus. If does contain attenuated vaccinea virus. This is a weakened version of the virus used in people for smallpox vaccination.
· If residents find bait near their homes, but not in the open, leave it alone. The bait packets have a strong smell that is not attractive to people or to most other animals. (There is a label that clearly identifies the bait packet: “Rabies Vaccine Live Vaccinia Vector. Do Not Disturb, Merial, Inc US Vet Lic. No. 298 1-877-722-6725.”)
· If the bait is intact and out in the open where pets or children are more likely to encounter it, toss it into deeper cover under trees or bushes while wearing gloves or using a plastic bag.
· Residents who see raccoons should NOT try and trap the raccoons themselves. Call a licensed trapper.
Any individual bitten or scratched by any animal should call the Nassau County Department of Health and immediately contact their physicians or seek medical help at a hospital emergency room. For more information regarding rabies and baiting, call Nassau County Department of Health at (516) 571-2500 or the New York State Department of Health at (518) 474-3186 weekdays from 9:00am to 4:45pm or visit the department website at www.co.nassau.ny.us/health or the state website at www.health.state.ny.us/zoonoses/rabies.html.
Sincerely,
Jon Kaiman