"Burning the hives was more painful when other countries used tools like vaccines, antibiotics and sterilisation - measures prohibited in New Zealand and in some export markets.

"Most farmers vaccinate their cows for diseases every single year, but it's illegal to vaccinate the hive," Brown said."

My understanding is the vaccine was only just approved last year in the US, it's the first of its kind, and it might not even be commercially available on a widespread basis yet.

It's it really illegal to vaccinate the hive in New Zealand? It seems odd that a vaccine would be illegal if it was just invented last year. Even in areas where the vaccine is legal, it's not going to save an already infected hive.

I'm not familiar with the sterilization techniques the beek alludes to. I assume some jurisdictions allow irradiation for remediation. It seems most jurisdictions require killing the bees, then burning the frames, and charring the inside if the hive body. It seems other remediation methods are less common.