Poland closes four border crossings to head off possible foot and mouth outbreak

Beginning Tuesday night four Polish-German border crossings in northwestern Poland were closed due to ever mounting risks of an outbreak of the extremely contagious foot and mouth disease. Border crossings in Swinoujscie, Bobolin, Gryfin and Buk will remain shut for at least three months and, according to the Interior Ministry, if any trace of the disease is reported near the border, more crossings will be subject to the same fate. The decision caused panic among border crossing personnel, who interpreted the closings as a direct threat to their jobs. Inhabitants of nearby towns whose livelihoods depend on trade with Germans living on the other side of the border reacted similarly. Observers say that in Swinoujscie alone 2,000-2,500 people could be negatively affected by the measure. Cases of foot and mouth, a disease that ends fatally for cloven-hoofed animals and is easily transmitted through the air, has been confirmed in France and the Netherlands. (Zycie, p.6) J.K.