FAQs

Can HPAI affect humans?

While HPAI primarily affects birds, some strains can potentially infect humans. It is crucial to handle infected birds with care and follow health and safety protocols when dealing with sick poultry.

Is there a vaccine available for use against HPAI in commercial Poultry?

In the United States, there are no approved vaccines available for use against HPAI in commercial poultry. Although some countries have implemented vaccination strategies to mitigate the impact of HPAI, the current approach in the US involves depopulating infected flocks and implementing strict movement control measures.

What is HPAI Control Area?

A HPAI Control Area is a designated geographic region or area where strict control measures are implemented to prevent the spread of HPAI in poultry populations. The Control Area comprises of Infected Zone and Buffer Zone. The perimeter of the Control Area is at least 7 km beyond the perimeter of the Infected Zone, which in itself radiates at least 3 km from the infected premises. 

What does it mean when a Control Area is released?

When a Control Area is released, it means that certain conditions have been met after its establishment due to the detection of HPAI in poultry. Poultry farms outside the remaining Control Areas and not under quarantine are no longer subjected to movement controls and surveillance testing. To determine if a specific address is still within a Control Area, check the USDA APHIS website. 

Which Control Area(s) have been released?

Information about the Control Areas that have been released and those that remain active can be found on the APHIS HPAI 2022 Confirmed Detections website. It is important to note that Control Areas associated with neighboring infected farms may overlap with a released Control Area. Farms within the overlapping Control Areas are still subject to restrictions until their status changes. Please refer to the information on USDA APHIS site and consult with State Animal Health Officials.

What does it take to get a Control Area released?

To get a Control Area released, all infected premises within the area must complete 100% depopulation and proper disposal of birds, feed, litter/manure, and eggs according to the flock plan. Additionally, initial virus elimination and surveillance testing must take place. If there are no positive results on surveillance within the Control Area for 14 days after depopulation and virus elimination, the Control Area can be released.

Can farms that are now outside a Control Area resume normal farming practices?

Yes, farms that are outside a Control Area and not under quarantine can resume normal farming practices without movement controls and surveillance testing. However, it is important for all farms, regardless of location, to continue implementing strict biosecurity procedures to ensure the health of the birds and prevent the spread of HPAI.

Can birds be restocked at infected premises that were within the released Control Area after release?

No, birds cannot be immediately restocked at infected premises within a released Control Area yet. Before restocking, the infected premises must meet all requirements of the flock plan, including quarantine release and obtaining negative results on environmental testing. They must also be outside the infected zone of another flock. Refer to the USDA APHIS guidelines for additional information.

How long does it take to obtain a permit?

Many permit applications are completed within a few minutes to a few hours, some others involving other states may take longer. This includes both movements incoming to Maryland from other states and outgoing from Maryland, so it varies according to who are involved.

How many permits are required?

The number of permits depends upon the types of movement items and the number of movement destinations. Multiple destinations require multiple permits and multiple items also require multiple permits. Producers need to enter the movement into the EMRS2 Gateway before the movement occurs along with the accession number of HPAI test result.