Critical It’s not Ketchup! NYC & “Fish-Flavored” Rabies Vaccines for Raccoons

New York City is vaccinating raccoons against rabies again, with this fall’s operation running from October 14 through November (weather permitting) in Queens, Brooklyn, and parts of northern Manhattan. Translation: if you spot what looks like a fishy ketchup packet in the woods, it’s probably not a new snack trend, it’s anoral rabies vaccine bait(ORV). The goal is to curb a spike of rabid raccoons and protect, well, everyone. And cats. And dogs. No one wants an Old Yeller…, which is a movie I still can’t watch without bawling. So far this year,NYCconfirmed 18 rabid raccoons (10 Queens, 2 Brooklyn, 6 Staten Island), one cat (Staten Island), and one bat (Queens). Neighboring Nassau and Suffolk counties are also baiting this fall. It’s a cross-county “don’t froth at the mouth” collab. They’re small, brown, fish-scented packets with pink liquid vaccine inside—raccoons chew, swallow, and develop immunity. The scent is…deliberate. To you: ew. To a raccoon: Michelin-star. (For those with military training, they kinda look like a condiment packet you’d find in a MRE.) No matter the look and the allure, the baits are widely used across the eastern U. S. for wildlife rabies control. Think of it as a purpose built vaccine delivery vehicle. Scientists start with vaccinia virus, the same workhorse virus used in the old smallpox vaccine, then add one rabies gene (the instructions for the rabies glycoprotein G). I like to view it as the badge on the virus’s outer coat. When this engineered carrier enters cells, the cells read that gene like a recipe and make the rabies glycoprotein (the “badge”). Your immune system sees the badge, tags it as enemy, and builds antibodies against it. Later, if the real rabies virus shows up, your immune system recognizes the badge right away and says,“Not today, rabies,”while shutting it down. People: The bait itself won’t harm you. Rarely, the liquid can cause a mild skin rash. If you touch it, wash with soap and water (or hand sanitizer) and you can also call your local Poison Center if you have more issues or questions. Pets: The bait can’t cause rabies. (That’s the fundamental thing.) If a pet gobbles several, some experts say to expect possible vomiting. Ideally, if you can keep your dog away from the bait, that’s the top-tier strategy. Of course, if your dog is anything like my dog, good luck. He picks up the most disgusting things on the NYC sidewalks, locks down, and parades home with them like he struck gold. Vaccinating raccoons reduces rabies at the source so fewer pets (and people) could use post-exposure treatment. And since we are in ‘Merica, where healthcare is expensive AF,the costof treatment for post-exposure Rabies is INSANE. My dad, a veterinarian, and my mom both had to get it TWICE. They are heavily involved in animal rescue, and as fate would have it, were exposed to two rabid kittens, only a couple years apart. Both kittens were calm and affectionate, but over a few days, became lethargic and died. (FYI, they weren’t like the “aggressive-Hollywood-type” of Rabies.) Their bodies were sent to a lab, and they tested positive for Rabies. The kittens did not bite my parents, but they were exposed to their saliva, so got the post-exposure treatment. Luckily their cost was covered via workers’ compensation and insurance, but OMG for the individual who doesn’t have that. Personally, I find it pathetically sad that post-exposure treatment would cost so much, considering a person will 99. 999% of the time die if he/she gets Rabies. Anyhow, if you find a bait on your hike, resist the urge to become “Citizen Scientist Who Touches Things.” In other words, let the raccoons do their public-health internship. ;) **************************************************************************************************** More from the blog:America, Meet Your New Night Biter Check out the Causes or Cures Podcast– interviews with top mind-body health experts! You can contact Dr. Eeks atbloomingwellness. com. Follow Eeks onInstagramhere. OrFacebookhere. OrX. OnYoutube. OrTikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here!(Now featuring interviews with top experts on holistic health you care about!)