Based on high morbidity and mortality in commercial mink farms in the E.U. and the U.S., a number of laboratories are developing COVID vaccines for commercial operations.

Zoetis has developed a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine that was used under presumed emergency use authorization for apes at the San Diego Zoo. A concurrent evaluation of the experimental vaccine elicited an antibody response in susceptible mink.

Mink-COVID vaccines are also under development in the Russian Federation and the EU.  It will be necessary to demonstrate efficacy and safety before registration. The important issue will be whether immunised mink will serve as reservoirs and disseminators of SARS-CoV-2 since there are both zoonotic and wildlife implications of COVID in the species.