COVID-19 resources for veterinarians

 This page collates advice and resources to help veterinarians plan for, prevent and minimise the spread of COVID-19 in New Zealand. It will be updated as the situation progresses, so check back regularly. These resources have been prepared for any time New Zealand (or any part of it) is at alert level 2, 3 or 4. Where a region is at a heightened alert level, the relevant standards only apply to that region.

On this page:

Updated standards and guidance for the August 2021 outbreak
Look after yourself and your colleagues
Older COVID-19 standards and guidance
FAQs
Other resources
Articles and news

Updated standards and guidance for the August 2021 outbreak

We are reviewing and updating our guidance based on the current situation. The following documents have already been reviewed and updated. You can see our older documents below which may still be helpful too.

• New Guidance on contact tracing for veterinary clinics
• New Vaccination and desexing for an extended level 4 lockdown beyond day 28
• Veterinary medicines and authorising at alert level 2 (including telemedicine)
• Vaccination and desexing guidance for an extended level 4 lockdown
• Alert Level Four - guidance in the event of an extended lockdown  
• Statement on Veterinary Medicines and Authorising at COVID-19 alert levels 3 and 4 (including the use of veterinary telemedicine to authorise medicines)
• Joint VCNZ & NZVA Statement on operating veterinary services at alert levels 3 and 4
• Guidance on assessment emergency and urgent care

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Look after yourself and your colleagues

Support for individuals

We strongly recommend talking to family, friends and colleagues about how you are doing, even if you feel fine. If you aren’t doing so well, please ask for help. Looking after your mental health is a responsibility you owe to your friends, family, clients and colleagues as well as yourself.

Options include:

• Talking to colleagues, friends or family
• Calling Vitae on 0508 664 981 for free, confidential and professional counselling
• Calling or texting 1737 for support from a trained counsellor
• Accessing resources from the Mental Health Foundation
• Using the contact and support resources and links on the Government COVID-19 website
• Contacting VCNZ or NZVA for advice and support.

For work-related issues, Employment NZ’s guidance on COVID-19 alert levels and the workplace is a useful resource for employers and employees.

Support for businesses

• Workplace operations at COVID-19 Alert Levels — business.govt.nz
• Financial support for businesses — business.govt.nz
• NZ Digital Boost Program - free digital skills training to boost your business
• Mental health and wellbeing support — business.govt.nz
• Contacts of someone who has COVID-19 | Unite against COVID-19

Businesses must take care of their teams. There is guidance for business leaders available, including guidance from Worksafe , the Government Health & Safety Lead and the Mental Health Foundation.

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You can also visit our Wellbeing and COVID-19 page to read more about looking after your mental health during the pandemic.

Wellbeing & COVID-19

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Older COVID-19 standards and guidance

• Advice on navigating the Auckland regional border
• Statement on principles for operating at Alert Level 2
• Statement on Veterinary Medicines & authorising at Alert Level 2 (2020 version)
• Statement on principles for operating at Alert Level 3
• Joint Statement on operating veterinary services at COVID-19 alert levels 3 and 4 (2020 version)
• Guidance on assessing emergency and urgent care during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Guidance for veterinarians on referral, supersession and second opinions during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Guidance on authorising dry cow antibiotic therapy and internal teat sealant during COVID-19

We won't be able to cover everything so some professional judgment is needed. The Code of Professional Conduct should still be your starting point and also read our FAQ on situations where you may need to act outside the Code and other standards.

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FAQs

We've put together answers to many of the questions we've been receiving from veterinarians. If you have questions about practising and COVID-19, check them out because we may well have an answer for you. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, you can always contact us.

• General and practice management FAQs
• Companion animal and equine FAQs
• Production animal FAQs

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Other resources:

General

• The Government COVID-19 response website is the central source for official information about the disease in New Zealand
• International information can be found from the World Health Organisation

Veterinary & primary sector

• The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) website has information on COVID-19 and its potential impacts on animal health
• The World Small Animal Veterinary Association has issued advice on COVID-19, managing the risk in a clinical setting and the potential impact on companion animals
• The US CDC has provided useful FAQ guidance regarding contact with pets and other animals
• Dr Scott Weese's Worms and Germs Blog has some helpful COVID-19 articles for veterinarians
• MPI Generic Guidance on COVID-19 Safety Requirements for primary industry businesses at Levels 3 & 4

Resources from NZ practices

• XL Vets level 4 guidance on essential and non essential services for dairy and red meat work
• XL Vets level 3 guidance
• NVC level 3 clinic operations document
• Massey Vets Equine Clinic contact tracing level 3 SOP.
• Massey Vets Farm protocols at level 3.

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Articles and news

These are other articles and news items that we've put together that may be of help to veterinarians. They are either prepared specifically in light of COVID-19 or are relevant in the current situation.