National

The Department of Agriculture has started spreading rabies vaccine packets from aircraft over 13 states to vaccinate wildlife against the disease, AP reports.

Why it matters: The aim of the air-dropped vaccines is to keep a strain of the virus from spreading to states where it hasn't yet been detected or isn't currently common. 

The drops are occurring from Maine to Alabama from helicopters and airplanes.

Go deeper: USDA to allocate $550 million to support poor and marginalized farmers

USDA begins airdropping rabies vaccines for wildlife in 13 states

It hopes to keep a strain of the virus from spreading to states where it hasn't yet been detected.

A photomicrograph of brain tissue from a rabies encephalitis patient.

A photomicrograph of brain tissue from a rabies encephalitis patient. Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

The Department of Agriculture has started spreading rabies vaccine packets from aircraft over 13 states to vaccinate wildlife against the disease, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="AP" data-vars-click-url="https://apnews.com/article/health-maine-animals-wildlife-rabies-66e7cce9c160a0e307c14b1a906bac6e" data-vars-content-id="34ddb26e-9884-4c4b-b3a1-483f530afec7" data-vars-headline="USDA begins airdropping rabies vaccines for wildlife in 13 states" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://apnews.com/article/health-maine-animals-wildlife-rabies-66e7cce9c160a0e307c14b1a906bac6e" target="_blank">AP</a> reports.Why it matters: The aim of the air-dropped vaccines is to keep a strain of the virus from spreading to states where it hasn&#x27;t yet been detected or isn&#x27;t currently common. <ul><li>The drops are occurring from Maine to Alabama from helicopters and airplanes.</li></ul>Go deeper: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="USDA to allocate $550 million to support poor and marginalized farmers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/08/24/usda-550-million-poor-marginalized-farmers" data-vars-content-id="34ddb26e-9884-4c4b-b3a1-483f530afec7" data-vars-headline="USDA begins airdropping rabies vaccines for wildlife in 13 states" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/08/24/usda-550-million-poor-marginalized-farmers" target="_self">USDA to allocate $550 million to support poor and marginalized farmers</a>

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