To all licensed persons and other stakeholders,
This notice serves as a reminder of the AHS vaccination window period which commences on Saturday, 1 June 2024.
The Rules of the NHA require that all horses, except those residents in the AHS surveillance and free zones, be vaccinated against African Horse Sickness by a Veterinarian, using a registered, non-expired, polyvalent horse sickness vaccine according to the manufacturers’ recommendations, every year between 1 June and 31 October.
It is recommended that all stakeholders vaccinate their horses timeously and prioritize horses in the following order:
- Horses that are under the age of 3 years old, or with less than 3 sets of vaccinations previously should be vaccinated as priority as they would be at highest risk of infection and disease. This is especially important for horses within the controlled area that are likely to travel as vaccination for these horses can only occur between 1 June and 31 October.
2. Horses within the AHS controlled area that are likely to travel out of the AHS controlled area and have not been vaccinated within the last 24 months should be
prioritized.
3. Horses in South Africa with less than 6 sets of vaccinations in their life and/or horses that are competing or moving regularly therefore increasing the risk of AHS spread.
Horses must be vaccinated by 31 October 2024. Extension of the window period for horses resident in the AHS infected zone will only be considered if sufficient vaccination has not been produced. We encourage you to discuss this matter with your private veterinarian, and should you have any doubts, please don't hesitate to contact the NHA Veterinary Department.