The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced it is airdropping edible, fish-flavored vaccines to help prevent the spread of rabies in raccoons along the East Coast.
The agency said it would drop the vaccine by airplane in rural areas. In suburban and urban areas, the vaccines will be distributed by helicopter and vehicles. In addition, staff members will fill bait stations with the vaccine.
The operation began earlier this month with around 348,000 vaccines being disturbed across northern Maine and 535,000 distributed in parts of western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and southwestern Virginia. In September, around 70,000 vaccines will be distributed near Cape Cod and the peninsular areas of Massachusetts.
The program will close out in October with nearly three million vaccines being dropped across parts of Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
The RABORAL V-RG® vaccine has been deemed safe in more than 60 animals, including dogs and cats. Humans are advised to avoid the bait traps and should wash with soap and warm water if they come in contact with the vaccines.
"Rabies is a serious public health concern. While rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, it also is 100% preventable. Human exposures can be successfully remedied if medical attention is sought immediately following exposure," the USDA said in a statement.