As the coronavirus vaccine is rolling out in many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, India, among others, for the essential workers, researchers from the US and Russia are planning to vaccinate minks as well, News 18 reported.
Last year, the population of mink was severely ravaged by the coronavirus infection. In November, Denmark had culled around 17 million minks in response to outbreaks at over 200 mink farms. However, to the country’s horror, the carcasses of the animal emerged from the earth in December, lifted by pressure from gases released by the decomposition, according to local police.
Now, Zoetis, a large veterinary pharmaceutical company in New Jersey and Medgene Labs, and a small company with about 35 employees based in South Dakota are both testing vaccines for minks, New York Times reported.
The companies seek to license their products from the US Department of Agriculture, reported The New York Times.
The companies claimed that their vaccine for minks is based on the same formula as the one used for the Novavax human vaccine, which is in late-stage trials.