One concept that we’ve recommended for COVID-19 control in veterinary clinics is staff cohorting. That involves keeping staff groups together to limit the risk of transmission should someone be infected. If groups (i.e. shifts, or teams that stick together and don’t interact with others) are formed, any single infected person would have contact with a
Another Mask Issue: N95s with Exhalation Valves
There is still lots of confusion about what use of different types of masks is supposed to do in different situations. As I’ve said before, it comes down to thinking about who the mask is meant to protect – the user, or people around the user. This dictates what type of mask should be used.
Occupational exposure risks with COVID-19
We’ve spent a lot of timing working on various recommendations for managing COVID-19 risks in veterinary practice. They’re mainly focused on the most biohazardous species with which veterinary personnel work on a daily basis: humans. While we’re still sorting through animal-related issues, the main emphasis is reducing exposure risk from people, and a recent
Looking towards expanding veterinary care during COVID-19: Ontario
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
COVID-19 in developing countries
This is a departure from our normal emphasis, but COVID-19 in developing countries is an important yet often overlooked issue. Here’s a guess post from a colleague, Dr. Philip Mshelbwala, who’s from Nigeria but currently studying in Australia:
The challenges of combating novel coronavirus COVID-19 in Developing World: The need for a workable strategy
Philip
Practical ways to help vets during COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a lot of strain on a lot of people, and those in the veterinary profession are no exception. Thank you, Captain Obvious. Self-care and mental health support at times like these are critical, but can be hard to come by for many still working on the front lines in clinics,
“Urgent” veterinary care, Ontario: Slightly revised guidance document
In Ontario, veterinary medicine is considered essential, but is currently restricted to “urgent” care only. What constitutes “urgent” is a grey zone. We’ve avoided trying to create a comprehensive list of “what veterinarians should and shouldn’t do” because there are so many factors and nuances to consider in every individual case. Instead, we’ve focused
New COVID-19 research updates
Let’s just call this an “odds and ends” post. I’ll outline some interesting highlights from some recent papers, including a couple just posted overnight.
More on predicted susceptible hosts (pre-print (i.e. not peer reviewed) on BioRxiv)
This study looked at genomic data from 410 vertebrates, including 252 mammals, and the researchers ranked the different animal
Examination glove re-use: A quasi-scientific evaluation
Shortages of personal protective equipment are a serious problem. Re-use and extended use can be considered for certain items under some circumstances, as we’ve discussed previously. Questions about how to safely reuse or extend the use of disposable items we’ve taken for granted as being endlessly available weren’t a high priority before the COVID-19
Routine mask use in vet clinics?
Questions about mask use keep filling my inbox. I’ve written before about when mask are most useful, and my general advice hasn’t changed much. However, some recent developments have make me think more about when and where more routine mask use might be of benefit.
Why are we re-thinking when to use masks? What’s