In an effort to aid in this global pandemic we have gathered the
best and most up-to-date resources regarding COVID-19.
Everyone please stay safe and take whatever precautions you can to ‘flatten the curve’.
***IMPORTANT***
Veterinary services have were declared as essential businesses in all 50 states. Here is a statement from AVMA: https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/covid-19/veterinary-practices-are-essential-businesses. This VIN News Service article was written before that declaration; it’s still helpful in that it explains more about what the “essential” designation means to veterinarians: https://news.vin.com/vinnews.aspx?articleId=56589.
If your area has a ‘Shelter in Place’ Order, or the like, you may need authorization to be driving to work and back. Click here for a sample authorization letter provided by AVMA, but please see the caution at the top of the page.
VIRTUAL CARE – A NEW RESOURCE SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS NEW TREND
Support is here! The Veterinary Virtual Care Association (VVCA) is on a mission to make virtual care part of the standard of care in veterinary medicine. With the exponential growth of technology solutions, the sudden demand for virtual care precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the acceptance of virtual care in human medicine, the need for a cohesive strategy for the accelerated adoption of veterinary virtual care is more important now than ever.
VETWATCH.COM – BE INFORMED OF VETERINARY TRENDS DURING THIS PANDEMIC
The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) is teaming up with industry leaders Animalytix, Greenline Pet and Circa Healthcare to launch VetWatch, a weekly reporting and monitoring service for critical trends and developments impacting the US veterinary profession. This initiative will provide the data needed to help guide veterinary practice owners, managers and staff as they make decisions during this extraordinary time.
Click Here to Visit VETWATCH.COM
Veterinary professionals can share their own experiences to help the community by participating in the 3-Minute Survey.
WSAVA PRESS RELEASE:
‘No new evidence of transmission from a dog, cat, or ferret to a new human’
WSAVA webinar speakers urge kindness to companion animals testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 and stress importance of prioritization in preventive healthcare during the pandemic.
COVID-19 VETERINARY SUMMIT
Viticus Group and their industry partners have teamed up to bring you the latest and most accurate information on COVID-19 and how it relates to the veterinary community.
Click Here For the Summit Website
Click Here To Stream The Video
Click Here To Read ‘The 5 Big Takeaways’ Blog
FREE ONLINE COURSES
RECOVER is generously providing BLS and ALS online courses for FREE during this unprecedented time and the struggles COVID-19 is causing our communities.
Visit https://recoverinitiative.org/covid/ for details!
ONE HEALTH ACT
The One Health Act provides processes to better prepare for and prevent zoonotic disease outbreaks like coronavirus. Veterinarians are important ambassadors in generating support for this legislation. Please let me know if we can provide more information or interviews.
INSIGHT ON REUSING PPE FROM AVMA
AVMA has links to fairly extensive guidance on its website regarding the use and reuse of PPE, with links to expert resources that provide more specific direction/recommendations.
Also under the header “Use of personal protective equipment” here: www.avma.org/coronavirus
UPDATED AIRLINE PET POLICIES
Airlines have changed their pet policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and likewise, it’s more important than ever for travelers to understand what evolving airline policies mean for traveling safely with their pet.
You can view a reasource on this here:
https://millionmilesecrets.com/guides/travel-with-pets-covid-19/
Some other industry resources regarding COVID-19/coronavirus:
A request about ventilators to our members from ACVECC:
Dear VECCS and ACVECC members,
Ventilators and CRRT machines may end up being in short supply in human hospitals. Many of us have this equipment in our hospitals and are willing to share but are not sure who to contact. We have created two databases that can be shared that list the veterinary ventilators and veterinary CRRT machines around the country.
Please fill out this form if you have a life support ventilator that could be borrowed by a human hospital in your area if needed. If you have already promised your ventilator to a human hospital, please still fill out the link so that we can keep track of this as well.
https://forms.gle/vE9CRokvk1je5gV37
For CRRT, please fill out this form
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZPhFATVNwTkM-53SIFhd91H7I-J4gYl-O_NZdLqy1Ea1cvw/viewform
Thank you and please let me know if any questions.
Beth Davidow, DVM DACVECC
ACVECC President-Elect
Some Insight To The Current Situation Straight From New York:
NYSVMS created this info graphic as any way to see how the last week has gone for NY Vets, which really gives us an idea of the pulse of the industry.
A Warning About Humans Attempting to Use Ivermectin:
‘The Science of Wellbeing’:
In an unprecedented time of stress and uncertainty, this course by Dr. Laurie Santos could be very helpful and calming, along with her recent podcasts on this topic here.
Resources & Articles From AAHA:
- 7 everyday ways to adapt veterinary practice during the pandemic
- Saying goodbye during COVID-19: How AAHA-accredited practices are handling pet euthanasia
- First dog to test positive for coronavirus dies
- Keep scheduling those wellness appointments with teletriage service
- VIDEO: COVID-19 practice tips from AAHA members
- UPDATED: COVID-19 resources
- Turn downtime into CE time!
- Prevention made easier with free, online tools. Plus, earn 9 hours of RACE-approved and CVPM-aproved CE!
Excerpted from Harvard Medical School’s website: article by Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing:
“Reliable online sources on the new coronavirus and COVID-19
While no one source of information is perfect, some are undeniably better than others! It’s best to look for sites that:
- rely on experts who use well-accepted scientific analyses and publish their results in reputable medical journals
- have a mission to inform and protect the public, such as the CDC and the WHO, which recently added a myth busters page to its information on the virus
- are not promoting or selling a product related to the information provided.
- Other good online sources of information on the virus include:
- Medline Plus, from the US National Library of Medicine
- the UK’s National Health Service
- the US Food and Drug Administration
- major news outlets with deep expertise in health reporting, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe’s STAT News.
While gathering information online may be your easiest initial option, isolate yourself and contact your doctor if you have symptoms of an infection, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath. (If you don’t have a doctor, call the nearest clinic for advice.) If necessary, a doctor may recommend that you see a specialist at an academic medical center (such as a hospital affiliated with a major medical school) who is likely to have the most recent information about a previously unknown infectious illness like this one.
The bottom line:
When considering a new infectious disease about which so much is still unknown, it’s important to seek out reliable information and act on it. Be skeptical of implausible conspiracy theories or claims of “fake news” that dismiss recommendations from public health officials. Addressing the concerns surrounding the new coronavirus requires accessible, reliable, and frequently updated information; the best we can do is to look to the experts whose mission it is to protect public health.
For more information about the new coronavirus and COVID-19, please see Harvard Health Publishing’s Coronavirus Resource Center.”
From FVMA, CLICK HERE for a brochure about protecting the pet owner, the pet and the community.
Various Articles From AVMA (posted March-Current):
COVID 19 Business & Economic Impacts:
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/covid-19/covid-19-business-economic-impacts
What Do You Need To Know About Coronavirus:
https://www.avma.org/blog/what-do-you-need-know-about-coronavirus
For veterinarians and veterinary clinics:
https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/covid-19-faq-vet-clinics.pdf
For pet owners:
https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/covid-19-faq-pet-owners.pdf
Telehealth for animals gains traction amid pandemic
Pandemic is no reason to abandon pets
Could India’s wild tigers be affected by COVID-19?
Here’s how to help pets adapt to pandemic life
AVMA advises against routine SARS-CoV-2 tests for pets
Cornell researchers find unique loop on SARS-CoV-2 spike
4 drugs that block coronavirus replication identified
Scientists piece together SARS-CoV-2’s lineage
Tick bite risk high amid pandemic restrictions
Cat in Spain tests positive for novel coronavirus
Telehealth could be permanent part of veterinary care
Study of pangolins could lead to COVID-19 treatments
Wash. study of coronavirus in pets seeking volunteers
WHO seeks to lead coronavirus research mission in China
Cataloguing the response by emergency veterinary hospitals during the COVID‐19 pandemic via weekly surveys
A free article published by the JVECC.
And always remember your local and state health departments are great resources for reliable information in times like these. As well as the below national resources:
CDC Official Site – www.cdc.gov/covid19
Johns Hopkins – https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/
Click Here For CDC Poster With Helpful Info For Clinics/Staff/Patients
Click Here For OSHA Workplace Guidance In This Time
Also! For a little fun in this time or a lighthearted way to get some relevant content and engagement on your social media,
you can use www.washyourlyrics.com to make hand washing charts that sync to your favorite song lyrics!
VECCS
We raise the level of patient care for seriously ill or injured animals through quality education and communication programs.