We’re nowhere near the end of this pandemic, and one concern we have is opening things up too quickly and losing the benefits of all the sacrifices that have been made to “flatten the curve.” As restrictions get lifted, we’re not going straight from “now” to “normal.”  We’ll have to continue with good physical distancing practices for the foreseeable future.

With that in mind, a new document has been released, in collaboration with the OVMA, outlining preparation for veterinary medicine when the “urgent care only” directive in Ontario gets lifted. It’s meant to help us be prepared for the next phase, so that we can provide more veterinary services while still minimizing the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

That’s a difficult balance to find.

The document is written for the Ontario context, but the overall concepts would likely apply pretty much anywhere. We’re going to have to change how we practice for a while, and some changes may be permanent. The better we can be prepared, the more responsible and effective we can be.

As always, guidance may change based on how the pandemic evolves, government guidance, experiences and new ideas, but this is a good place to start.

You can find the Guide to reopening veterinary medicine in Ontario as well as many of the other resources we’ve posted since March on the Worms & Germs COVID-19 Veterinary Resources page.