Raccoon rabies vaccinations will drop from the sky in Allegheny County next month

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Aircraft will drop rabies vaccination baits across Allegheny County next month as part of a massive effort to eventually eradicate the raccoon variant of the virus from the country.

The vaccination program is spearheaded by the United States Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services, which the Allegheny County Health Department partners with annually. This year, volunteers will distribute baits containing the vaccine from Aug. 1 through Aug. 30, both by hand and by air.

The health department says residents may see aircraft slowly moving over the same area multiple times over a short period of time, which could be alarming to people who don't know about the program. The county has asked local municipalities to help them alert residents .

Raccoon rabies can be found throughout the state, and the disease is almost always fatal to both people and animals, the health department says. The goal is to eventually push the westward boundary of raccoon rabies all the way to the East Coast, basically eradicating raccoon rabies from the United States.

What if I find a vaccine bait?

If you find a bait, don't do anything, the health department says.

However, if it's still intact and is out in the open where it's likely to come in contact with pets or kids, put on gloves and toss it into an area with more cover.

While the exposure risk to humans is very slight, the health department says people should be aware and encourage their kids to leave them alone.

If you touch a bait or the liquid vaccine inside, make sure to wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.

What if my child touches the vaccine?

If the bait is still intact, place it in an area of thick ground cover. But if the bait is leaking the vaccine, the health department says to thoroughly wash the affected area with soap and water.

It's not possible to get rabies from the vaccine, the health department says.

If you or your child are exposed to the vaccine or need advice, you can call the Pennsylvania Public Health Information Line at 1-877-PA HEALTH or the Allegheny County Health Department at 412-350-4046.

What if my pet eats the bait?

People are asked to keep their pets inside or keep their dogs on leashes to allow the raccoons to eat the baits.

But if a pet does eat the bait and vaccine, the health department says not to worry. The vaccine isn't harmful to wild animals or pets.

This vaccine also can't be used to vaccinate your cat or dog against rabies. A veterinarian should do that, the health department says, adding that regular pet vaccination is "essential" to protect them against rabies.