COVID-19: biosafety and health education in veterinary establishments in the city of Niteroi, RJ, Brazil

ABSTRACT

Brazil is currently facing a severe pandemic caused by an emerging viral disease referred to as Covid-19, which has led to thousands of deaths. As a means to control the spread of the disease, total and partial social distancing initiatives have been implemented in several non-essential economic activities. Veterinary clinics and pet shops have not been affected by these measures due to the demand for emergency animal care. This work, as an observational, sectional and descriptive based effort, aimed at describing and evaluating the knowledge among veterinarians regarding the disease and its zoonotic potential, the measures adopted by the clinics to prevent Covid-19 transmission to people and animals, and the recommendations to pet tutors in the municipality of Niteroi. According to the results, veterinarians presented difficulty in recognizing the disease as a zoonosis, despite being aware of its transmission methods and the animals it affected. These professionals also recommended certain actions to pet tutors to avoid the spread of the disease. The surveyed clinics sought to be prepared to face the epidemic, mainly through measures that would not cause them economic impact.