Protecting Your Veterinary Staff During a Pandemic

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, veterinary hospitals have remained designated essential businesses, as we provide essential preventative and medical care to household pets ranging from vaccines to prevent disease outbreaks to emergency surgeries such as foreign body removals. While we have the fortune to remain employed and operational during these difficult times, remaining open during a pandemic also means that we must take necessary precautions to protect our staff, and by extension our clients, from the virus.

Don’t come to work sick

One of the most basic ways we can protect one another at our veterinary hospitals is to stay home if we are feeling sick. As dedicated staff at a veterinary hospital, it is always tempting to go into work even if we are feeling under the weather. However, during a pandemic, it is absolutely crucial for any employee who is feeling ill to notify their practice manager and stay home until symptoms have resolved. Even if it might just be a regular cold, we don’t want to risk lowering the immunity of our coworkers by getting them sick too.

Screen clients for Covid exposure

Along with daily employee screenings such as temperature checks at the beginning of every shift, we must also screen our clients to determine their exposure to the virus. These screenings can be simply questions like, “Have you experienced a fever or cough in the last 2 weeks?” “Have you, or anyone you have been in contact with, tested positive for COVID-19?” And if your facility is allowing clients into the building, taking their temperature with a non-invasive laser thermometer can further protect your staff from the virus. Whether your practice is allowing clients into the facility with their pets or not, these protocols are crucial for keeping our businesses open and ensuring the safety of our staff and clients. 

Utilize appropriate PPE, and sanitize often!

Finally, as employees at a medical facility, we must take advantage of our supply of personal protective equipment. From face masks, to face shields, to full-body gowns, we must maintain the necessary supplies to ensure the safety of all our staff members. Along with wearing the appropriate equipment, it is important that we continuously sanitize any high-contact surfaces throughout the day. This includes wiping down door handles, telephones, and computer keyboards, as well as kennels used to transfer patients in and out of the building. And of course, wash your hands! 

Here at your local Lakewood veterinary emergency hospital, we are doing everything we can to protect our staff and our clients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even if you have been feeling sick or have tested positive for the virus, if your pet is ill or experiencing an emergency, we are here to help at Evolution Veterinary Specialists. Simply give us a call at (720) 510-7707, and we can talk you through our COVID protocols and discuss options for safely addressing the needs of your furry friends.