Masks: Why Aren't Some Practices Saying Farewell to Face Coverings

Why are veterinary practices maintaining their COVID-19 safety measures?

Despite the Prime minister's decision to lessen Covid-19 restrictions some vets may still ask that you wear masks? Why?

There are a number of very important reasons many vets choose to keep COVID-19 safety measures in place and will politely ask you to do the same on their premises.

Isolation

In a recent poll by Veterinary Voices UK 87% of veterinary professionals have had to isolate due to a positive case in their practice via a colleague or client contact. Even though isolation rules have been lessened removing a member of staff for at least 5 days from a veterinary team has a profound impact on the number of sick animals we can help. As many practices are experiencing workforce shortages this is a loss they simply can't afford.

Exposure Risk

Veterinary professionals working 10+ hour days could meet in excess of 30 different owners. This is a huge exposure risk and despite our Governments optimism this pandemic is not yet over.

Distancing from the team

To safely treat, care for and medicate your pets we often have to work in extremely close proximity. This means that despite PPE worn exposure risk within a team can be very high while we work in close contact to provide high quality care for your pets.

We’re maintaining measures to protect you, your animals and ourselves.

Please respect your vets decisions on PPE for everyone’s safety. Learning to live with Covid does not mean abandoning all safety measures immediately.

UK veterinary practices are already experiencing staffing problems we simply cannot afford to lose team members to isolation.

Although face masks will no longer be mandated anywhere, it still suggest masks are worn in enclosed or crowded spaces. Decisions regarding public health and safety should be based on the advice of experts, not timed to distract from political scandals.

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said it was

“not the time for complacency about this virus” and the decision to lift restrictions was a “trade-off.”

See news story here: shorturl.at/btxR7

Check out which masks best protect us: shorturl.at/quFIV