Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

625. To ask the Minister for Health his position on the continued farming of mink in Ireland with regard to the demonstrated decreased susceptibility to antibodies of a strain of Covid-19 in persons previously infected as cited by the Chief Medical Officer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43484/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The ECDC has advised that there has been an extensive spread of SARS-CoV-2 in mink farms in Denmark. Mutations of the disease in mink populations may have implications for immunity, reinfections and the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, but further studies are needed to fully understand the mutations and their implications.

On 6 November 2020 Health Officials met with the Chief Veterinary Officer and colleagues from the Department of Agriculture to assess the risk to Ireland. A number of steps have been taken and the HSE has undertake serial testing of mink-farm workers.

On 16 November, the CMO recommended that all farmed Mink in the State be culled as a matter of urgency on public health grounds and wrote to the CVO in the Department of Agriculture on that basis.

I am informed that the Department of Agriculture & Marine has conducted testing on mink on all three mink farms in Ireland, with the most recent tests on 7th December, and all tests have been negative for Covid 19 (or any mutation thereof). That Department continues to engage with the farm operators in order to manage next steps in this process.