Foot in mouth

The slaughter of 64 cattle on the farm at the centre of the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Wanborough near Guildford in Surrey commenced this afternoon. But not until a five mile air exclusion zone had been established thereby clearing the area of any press / media helicopters.

I’m not sure that I am terribly happy about this.

The pictures from 2001 were horrific and one wouldn’t choose for these events to happen so one may watch them unfold on television but if they do happen I can’t see any reason why you shouldn’t watch them if you choose so to do. Perhaps some kind soul in authority decided that it would be too traumatic for us all. Or perhaps the memory of the stark pictures in 2001 and the damage done to Blair by those events is now casting a long shadow. We couldn’t have the public associating our shiny ‘new’ leader with slaughter and the incineration of diseased carcasses now could we?

Now here’s the other thing that occurred to me. What happens if the infection spreads? Will the air exclusion zone be extended too? What would happen if a farm suffered an infection within 5 miles of a local airport. How wide ranging could an air exclusion zone be and still be viable and how would it be policed?

If someone could point me in the direction of an official explanation that is reasonable and rational then I will be glad of the chance to have a read.