2 Nov 2020
The BVA has updated its guidance ahead of Thursday's (5 Nov) lockdown with new measures coming into force, but has confirmed there will be no return to 'emergencies only'.
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement that England will go into a national lockdown on Thursday 5 November, and the start of the new local COVID Protection Levels system in Scotland, the BVA has updated its guidance for members.
In summary, the updated BVA guidance for England is:
BVA president James Russell said: “We are very pleased that governments across the UK continue to recognise the importance of access to veterinary services during these local and national lockdowns – for animal health and welfare, public health, and keeping the food supply going.
“However, as veterinary professionals, we all have an incredibly important role to play in tackling the spread of the virus, so we must continue to work as safely as possible to protect ourselves and our clients.”
He added: “The latest guidance from BVA focuses on the clinical and professional judgement of our colleagues to assess whether and how clients can be seen safely, as well as considering whether they need to be seen in person. Over the past seven months, veterinary teams have worked incredibly hard to put safe working measures in place, including the use of remote consultations, so we are in a very strong position to get through the new lockdown measures.
“We know from our recent Voice survey that members are concerned about stress and burnout within the profession, so I want to remind colleagues to continue to look out for one another and continue to communicate within teams so that everyone understands and feels comfortable with the protocols.”
Wales is currently in the firebreak lockdown (23 October to 9 November) and veterinary practices are delivering essential services only, based on previous BVA guidance.
When asked by Vet Times, the BVA confirmed there would be no return to the “emergencies only” edict issued in March. For more details visit the BVA’s guidance pages.