Veterinarian response to the COVID-19 crisis : Animal health
- Part 2 -

Dr K Rashbehari Singh *

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON ANIMAL HEALTH

COVID-19 has had a substantial impact on many sectors at national, regional and global levels, including the livestock sectors. Health of the animals will likely be impacted by COVID-19 through the immediate consequences of sudden human confinement and inactivity, and through the long-term consequences of the subsequent economic crisis on farmer livelihoods and veterinary service capacities. It is expected that the economic crisis will negatively impact the disease control programmes.

With reduction of human activity during lockdown, closer proximity of wildlife to suburban areas or to farm buildings and pastures is likely to occur, thereby increasing the risk of infection spillover.

IMPLICATIONS OF ANIMAL INFECTIONS WITH SARS-CoV-2

The transmission of the current COVID-19 pandemic is human-to-human, although several animal species have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Establishment of SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs in wild and domestic animals could pose a continued public health risk and may lead to future spillover events / infections to humans.

Spillover infection occurs when a reservoir population with high pathogen prevalence comes into contact with novel host populations and may or may not be transmitted within the host population. Therefore, close monitoring of susceptible animal populations in contact with humans is required.

Further, introduction of a virus to a new animal species might accelerate its evolution, which could potentially impact on surveillance and control strategies. There may also be biodiversity loss due to introduction of the virus to susceptible endangered animal populations, and might undermine conservation efforts.

HUMAN-TO- WILDLIFE TRANSMISSION OF SARS-CoV-2

It appears that SARS-CoV-2 is capable of infecting many different mammal species. SARS-CoV-2 has infected a significant proportion of people worldwide and may spread the infection unknowingly before symptoms occur or without showing any symptoms. As such, there is a risk of humans spreading SARS-CoV-2 to wildlife, in particular to non-human mammals.

In the absence of solid evidence on the susceptibility and resistance to SARS-CoV-2 for each of the wild mammal species, sanitary precautions should be taken by humans interacting with any other mammal species in the wild. It is important to prevent human- to- wildlife SARS-CoV-2 transmission for protecting wild animals (some of which are classed as threatened) from disease, but also to avoid establishment of novel SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs in wild animals.

There is risk of repeated re-infection of humans from such a wildlife reservoir and this could severely hamper SARS-CoV-2 control efforts. Direct and indirect interaction with wild mammals may occur in the activities related with wildlife research, conservation, forestry, pest control, management of feral populations, ecological consultancy work, management of protected areas and natural environments, wildlife tourism and wildlife rehabilitation in animal shelters.

Sanitary precautions such as physical distancing, wearing of face masks and gloves and frequent decontamination and active surveillance of domestic and feral animals that could act as SARS-CoV-2 intermediate hosts between humans and wild mammals are recommended for controlling SARS-CoV-2.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTICES FOR VETERINARY CLINICS

The veterinarians should continue to think about how they can continue serving as a helpful resource to their clients in this time of uncertainty. They are assessing their client's needs by utilizing telemedicine. Social media marketing helps them keep their clinic visible to potential clients in their local area, even when the clients aren't actively searching online for a veterinarian.

This helps them maintain a high level of business brand awareness that will pay off when stay-at-home orders are lifted and people rush to their local veterinarians to catch up on delayed treatment and services for their pets.

PREVENTION AND CONTROL MEASURES

The contributing factors to the frequency of contacts between humans and wildlife are ecological disturbances, landscape changes, human behaviours, and public health factors, and such contacts pose a risk of exposure to trans-boundary animal viruses. Safeguarding vulnerable animal populations can have a long term benefit in controlling COVID-19, preventing dangerous new mutations from emerging and protecting the livelihoods of farmers.

If we are not ill with COVID-19, social distancing and sheltering in place doesn't apply to our pets. We should interact with the pets as we normally would, including walking, feeding and playing. However, we should continue to practice good hygiene during these interactions. Wash hands with soap and water before and after interacting with pets.

Keep the pets well-groomed and regularly clean the pet's food and water bowls, bedding materials and toys. Limit pet's interaction with people outside their household. Walk dogs on a leash at least 6 feet away from others to protect them from interacting with people outside the household. Masks should not be put on pets as it could harm them.

For humans who are ill with COVID-19, the CDC (Centers for Disease ControlandPrevention) guidance should be followed as given below:
- Limit contact with pets and other animals.
- Have another member of your household take care of walking, feeding, and playing with your pets
-If you have a service animal or you must take care of your pet, then wear a facemask; don't share food, kiss or hug them; and wash your hands before and after any contact with them.
- If your pet becomes sick, do not take your pet to the veterinary clinic yourself. Considering the risk involved, some veterinarians may offer telemedicine consultations or other plans for seeing sick pets.

Veterinarians can evaluate your pet and plan for the pet's care and treatment. Vaccines for controlling SARS-CoV-2 in susceptible companion and farmed animals are under development.

Russia begins production of the world's first Covid Vaccine for animals, called Carnivac-Cov, announced Russia's agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor. Rosselkhoznadzor also announced on March 31, 2021 that the country had registered the Carnivax-Cov vaccine. (India TV News Desk, May 01, 2021)

CONCLUSION

Populations are impacted by covid-19 pandemic in many ways and remind us that multi-sectoral collaboration, in line with the "One Health" approach, and the sharing of expertise are more important than ever. Much work still needs to be undertaken for better understanding of the origin of the virus and how it entered the human population.

Looking to the future, the OIE is working with its Wildlife Working Group, Member Countries and international partners to develop an ambitious work programme which aims to reduce and manage risk of spillover events between wildlife, livestock and humans.


Concluded ....