As we move forward in the COVID-19 era, a lot of things need to be done differently. We’ve written a lot about procedures in veterinary clinics to maximize distancing and protection while minimizing the impact on patient care. Many ancillary issues have also come up, including limiting or managing people other than clients going into vet clinics. One such group of people is industry reps (e.g. from pharma and pet food companies) who normally visit clinics on a regular basis to discuss clinic supply needs, product questions, new products, etc. The Canadian Animal Health Institute has developed recommendations for companies in order to provide guidance to their employees who typically do these kinds of site visits. It’s also relevant for veterinarians to review, so they understand what to expect. As I discussed yesterday on our CVMA national veterinary COVID-19 weekly townhall webinar, the guidelines are voluntary, but they help set reasonable expectations for everyone. Clinics can set their own bar higher, if they want, and individual companies can do the same. However, these guidelines outline the core issues and minimum expectations, to help protect industry personnel and clinic staff. Click on the links below for the summary or complete set of guidelines.
CAHI COVID-19 Industry Guidance (Jun-2020) – Summary of Recommendations