On the spread of COVID-19, there are sad stories of dogs and cats being abandoned or thrown from buildings from many parts of the world. These are due to unverified news about the possibility of transmitting the disease from pets to humans.
These shouldn’t happen though. With proper knowledge about the virus, you can help protect your beloved pets, yourself, and your whole family. Let’s be responsible pet parents and educate ourselves on what COVID-19 is and how it impacts you and your furkids.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 (or COrona VIrus Disease 2019) is a highly contagious virus that may cause severe pneumonia. The disease can be fatal to high-risk people, which includes the elderly and those with pre-existing serious illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease.
According to reports, the virus originated from animals and has mutated enough to infect people. The first known cases were reported from Wuhan, China.
As of April 14, 2020, the number of confirmed cases worldwide is approaching 2 million, with more than 580,000 cases coming from the United States, as seen on the data compiled by John Hopkins University.
You can read more about COVID-19 here.
How coronavirus spreads
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most effective way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the coronavirus.
The virus spreads from person-to-person via respiratory droplets produced by an infected person when sneezing, coughing or talking. There are also some studies suggesting that COVID-19 can possibly be spread by infected people that are not showing any symptoms.
It is also possible to get the virus when you touch contaminated surfaces or objects and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
How to protect your pets during the outbreak?
During the COVID-19 outbreak, you should treat your furkids like how you treat your human family members. As we still need further research to know how our pets can be affected by the virus, CDC advises that you can help keep your furkids safe by:
- Not letting them interact with people or other animals outside your home
- Keeping them indoors (especially cats) as much as possible
- Keeping dogs on leash, with at least a 6 feet distance from other people and animals
- Avoiding parks where many people or animals gather
Observe proper hygiene
Currently, there is still no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way not to get infected is to avoid being exposed to the virus. According to the World Health Organization, here’s what you should do:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet and from anyone who’s coughing and sneezing
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Our hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Our eyes, nose, and mouth are entry points for the virus.
- Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing using your elbow or tissue. Dispose of the tissue properly
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces every day
- If you have a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early
- Stay informed
In case you need to quarantine yourself
Keep your pets safe by having a Pet Disaster Preparedness Kit ready, as outlined by the CDC. Don’t forget to include pet food that will keep your furkids nourished throughout, like Wishbone Pet Foods.
Because pets are family, we are every pet parent’s partner in keeping their furkids nourished and happy. So each bag of Wishbone is enriched with taurine for heart health and with 8 beneficial superfoods, to help boost your furkid’s health even further.
See our healthy, gourmet recipes for dogs and cats and you will love all the goodness that’s in Wishbone.
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