BCVA issues new lockdown advice to farm vets

The BCVA has urged vets working near internal country borders to use its travel certificate to prove they are travelling for animal health or food chain supply reasons.

A month-long lockdown in England started on 5 November, but Wales’ two-week firebreak was listed today (9 November). Scotland is subject to regional tiered restrictions.

Rules

The BCVA has urged members to be aware of rules in each country or region. Among advice issued to members is encouraging vets to ask farmers to telephone ahead for dispensing medicines that can be left at a designated place to prevent footfall through practices.

It has also said clean, disinfected waterproofs and gloves should always be worn on farm, and social distance of 2m maintained, and non-essential client meetings and practice CPD should be postponed. It is also urging remote communications to be carried out with farmers where possible.

TB testing can continue as normal across all regions.

Different

BCVA president Nikki Hopkins said: “We are in a substantially different position to March. We have worked under the umbrella of COVID for many months and everyone has done an amazing job to step up, keep the food chain going and ensure cattle welfare does not suffer. We have done all this while keeping human health – and that of our clients and colleagues – a priority.

“We’ve adapted in very difficult circumstances and have appropriate COVID precautions in place in surgeries, which means we can comply with the requirements to stay open as businesses. However, complacency can also creep in with time, and as England enters another lockdown, there are some key things we should consider in our working days to make sure we are working as safely as possible.”

More details

Details of the travel certificate are available online and can be requested by emailing the BCVA office.

Full guidance from the BCVA is also available online.