CDC issues interim pandemic guidelines for veterinary clinics

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is in the process of updating its pandemic infection prevention and control measures for veterinary clinics. In the meantime, the CDC has provided the AVMA with some guidance on clinic safety.

“Veterinary clinics should follow masking guidance for the general public,” the agency said. “While veterinarians are considered clinicians, the settings in which they work are not used to treat humans with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, and instances of animal-to-human transmission appear to be very rare. Veterinary clinics should consider local transmission and vaccination rates when creating clinic policies for PPE use and interactions with clients.”

The AVMA provides several documents from the CDC to support these recommendations:

• When you’ve been fully vaccinated
• Interim public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people
• Guidance for unvaccinated people: How to protect yourself and others
• Guidance for unvaccinated people: Wearing masks
• Science brief: COVID-19 and vaccinations (background rationale)

The AVMA also has a page dedicated to resources on COVID-19.