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ZLIs Save a Billion Birds Campaign to Send Songbirds to Biodiversity Hotspots

NEW YORK, Apr. 06 /CSRwire/ - The Zoological Lighting Institute (ZLI) and its ZLI Save a Billion Birds! Campaign announced plans to offset expected devastation to wildlife due to the inevitable economic pressures stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. By advocating and offering planning to achieve bird protections in the northern hemisphere, direct exploitation of impoverished biodiversity hotspots in the southern hemisphere will be offset by songbirds sent to these regions. ZLIs Save a Billion Birds! campaign now provides planning services and access to design services, that identify opportunities for corporations, private institutions and public agencies to effectively offset the devastating loss of birds internationally that most likely will, in post-pandemic days, get worse.

ZLI focuses upon the role of natural light in biology. The charity funds research as to how light affects animal physiology, animal senses and the ways in which it influences relationships between animals in space and time. ZLIs Save a Billion Birds! campaign gets a bit more specific, concentrating on these subjects as they matter for birds. As significant research suggests that artificial light at night (ALAN) and exposed transparent/reflective glass kill several billion birds (including birds representing over a thousand species) annually, ZLIs Save a Billion Birds! has expanded from serving as a research funding initiative to include solution facilitating resources <<https://zoolighting.org/subdepartment/zli-wildlife-friendly-design/>>. COVID-19 makes the urgency of such planning more evident than ever, as migratory birds are necessary to keep ecosystems functioning in areas most susceptible to the emergence of zoonotic diseases. The intent is to link corporations and government agencies to wildlife sensitive development, and to include the financial value of ecosystem services (over $44 trillion US Dollars by peer-reviewed estimates) within design and development decisions.

The emphasis is on bird-friendly planning, rather than bird-friendly product. Despite the devastating news of declining bird populations, bird-friendly design has been pursued on a project by project basis, often relying on the ad-hoc adoption of privately tested products. Yet just as preventative medicine requires a coordinated and international approach, preventative wildlife conservation requires planning and public engagement to mitigate and remove the devastating effects of ALAN and exposed glass. A recent study at Cornell University, showed that birds in developed areas are currently at higher risk than those in soon to be over-stressed areas <<https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2018/09/more-4-billion-birds-stream-overhead-during-fall-migration>>. Bird-friendly planning offers community leaders and responsible companies the opportunity to keep seemingly distant biodiversity hot-spots safer by taking meaningful action in our campuses, offices and development here at home. ZLIs Save a Billion Birds! advocacy of planning (rather than product) recognizes the financial realities of development as well, by providing a platform to engage audiences to help fund necessary change. Planning, and recognizing that birds are a resource in kind that can be sent back to over-stressed biodiversity hot-spots, is an underemphasized means of corporate social responsibility.

We have to take our cue from UNEP (the United Nations Environmental Program) and the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity), offers ZLI Executive Director James Karl Fischer. In times of financial stress, people without substantial resources turn to nature for sustenance. Hunting, fishing, agriculture; all of these provide food from nature when none is available to be had from industrialized sources. But if wild populations arent managed or supported, individuals can do more harm than good. There are many ways to help of course, but it is important to save the animals in those ecosystems because when they are gone, they are gone, and people will starve while also creating future pandemics. No one is as disconnected from this as we like to imagine

Dr. Fischer continuesIn the northern hemisphere, people are connected to global wildlife habitat more than they realize. Many migratory birds that we see in our cities, backyards and parks are the same birds that help to keep local environments going in the southern hemisphere. If they are killed here, they do not contribute to the rainforests or other biodiversity hot-spots there. Losing birds makes it that much more difficult for habitats to recover from improper resource-acquisition damage. With rising likelihood of human suffering due to economic pressures, it is more important than ever to protect birds from meaningless threats in the north. That means paying attention to the billions of birds killed by glass and artificial light, and making the necessary adjustments to our buildings. That is what Save a Billion Birds! has always been about, but it is more important than ever that resourced groups, companies, institutions and governmental agencies take action now through preventative planning.

The United Nations has been clear as to the value of birds to the economy (see links below). The loss of migratory birds destroys ecosystems and lowers environmental quality, while requiring increased financial expenditures to make up for resources that nature would otherwise provide freely. Birds are essential to agriculture, disaster mitigation, and human health care through the ecological services that they provide (such as improved air and water quality). As we have seen, contact with stressed and monolithic wildlife populations enhances zoonotic diseases. Migratory birds face numerous threats as they travel from one nation to another, across the southern to northern hemisphere and back. Billions across the northern hemisphere die by striking glass, and so cannot replenish their value in African, South American and Southeast Asian biodiversity hotspots. Many specific alternatives to exposed exterior bird-killing glass are available to prevent bird deaths, but adoption depends on leadership and a strategy to effect it. ZLIs Save a Billion Birds! campaign seeks to create leaders willing to take on the challenge of protecting birds, and to engage sympathetic audiences and markets through their commitment to public health, safety and welfare.

ZLIs Save a Billion Birds! Send a Songbird Planning Program is available to private, corporate and institutional stakeholders, and is described at greater length at https://zoolighting.org/subdepartment/zli-wildlife-friendly-design/. An upcoming documentary film Save a Billion Birds! describes the need and process of bird-friendly planning, and will begin shooting in California and Chile, (in conjunction with coordinated versions from South Africa to the UK and Thailand to South Korea) as investments and sponsorships are secured. For more information about ZLIs Save a Billion Birds! campaign, and how to engage the charity to ensure that development mitigates biodiversity-loss, please ask to speak with one of ZLIs Save a Billion Birds! Campaign Committee Leaders directly at saveabillionbirds@zoolighting.org.

About The Zoological Lighting Institute:

A unique charitable 501 c(3) with a mission to Support the Sciences of Light and Life through the Arts for Animal Welfare and Wildlife Conservation, The Zoological Lighting Institute embraces the concept of PhotoDiversity, referring to the importance that the diversity of natural light holds for living things, as well as the importance of cultural, social and human diversity has for science and its application. With an international Board of Directors overseeing four departments, including Film & Media, Education, Sustainable Design and the PhotoSciences, The Zoological Lighting Institute is breaking new terrain in the application of science to address the under appreciated realm of light and life.

Current Campaigns include Beached, Bearanoia, Insect Apocalypse, Otohimes Time, Precious Light and Save a Billion Birds!. Please visit http://www.zoolighting.org for more information on Sponsorships, Donor Advisory Fund (DAF) Giving Opportunities and Matching Contribution Programs.

References and Resources:

https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/video/message-nature-coronavirushttps://www.cbd.int/financial/values/unitedkingdom-valueliterature.pdfhttps://science.sciencemag.org/content/366/6461/120https://www.muhlenberg.edu/academics/biology/faculty/klem/aco/Bird-window.htmlhttps://www.3billionbirds.orghttps://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back/

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After the Pandemic: Inter-nationalist Wildlife Conservation Initiative - CSRwire.com

Henry Ford is leading a large-scale study on the effectiveness on malaria drugs in preventing COVID-19. // Stock photo

Detroits Henry Ford Health System on Thursday announced it will lead the first large-scale study in the U.S. of the effectiveness of an anti-malarial drug in preventing COVID-19 in health care workers and first responders who volunteer to participate.

The study of hydroxychloroquine used preventatively could begin as early as next week.

This is going to be the first major, definitive study in health care workers and first responders of hydroxychloroquine as a preventative medication, says Dr. William W. ONeill, a world-renowned interventional cardiologist and researcher who has pioneered multiple treatments for heart disease, and the studys organizer at Henry Ford. There has been a lot of talk about this drug, but only a small, non-blinded study in Europe. We are going to change that in metro Detroit and produce a scientific answer to the question: Does it work?

Dr. Marcus Zervos, division head of infectious disease at Henry Ford, will oversee the study with ONeill.

We are glad to see Henry Fords lead on this volunteer study that could help protect medical workers and first responders across southeast Michigan, says Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, acknowledging U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen M. Hahn. I also deeply appreciate Dr. Hahns prompt support for this important effort.

Health care workers and first responders will be enrolled at Henry Ford Hospital Detroit. There are currently no FDA-approved therapies to prevent or treat COVID-19. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hydroxychloroquine, or hydroxychloroquine sulfate, is an FDA-approved arthritis medicine that can also be used to prevent or treat malaria. It is available in the U.S. by prescription only. It is sold under the drug name Plaquenil and is also sold as a generic medicine.

Metro Detroit has a history of stepping up when things get tough, says Dr. Adnan Munkarah, executive vice president and chief clinical officer of Henry Ford. We have a commitment to do that right now to look at all options in a scientific way in the face of this worldwide pandemic.

The study is called WHIP COVID-19 Study and is a more than 3,000-subject look at whether the drug prevents front-line workers from contracting the virus. Once they provide a blood sample, the study subjects will receive vials with unidentified pills to take over the following eight weeks. Participants could be given a once-a-week dose of hydroxychloroquine, a once-a-day dose, or a placebo. The study medicine was specially procured for the study and will not impact the supply of medicine for people who already take the medicine for other conditions.

Participants will not know what group they are in. They will be contacted weekly and in-person at week four and week eight of the study to see if they are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 such as a dry cough, fever, or breathing issues, as well as medication side effects. At eight weeks, they will have blood drawn again. Results will be compared among the three groups to see if the medication had any effect.

Given ourbroadclinical trials and translational research infrastructure, we are grateful to bring this type of large-scale effort to the COVID-19 battle, says Dr. Steven Kalkanis, CEO of Henry Ford Medical Group and senior vice president and chief academic officer of Henry Ford Health System. We see the heroics of the frontline responders in health care, public safety, and service. Henry Ford Health System is poised to do anything we can to help them stay safe.

The CDC describes hydroxychloroquine, which has been used for 75 years, as a relatively well-tolerated medicine. The most common adverse reactions reported are stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and headache. The side effects can often be lessened by taking hydroxychloroquine with food. Hydroxychloroquine may also cause itching in some people. Minor side effects including nausea, occasional vomiting, or diarrhea do not usually require stopping the drug. Serious side effects are rare but can occur.

If the study finds the drug effective as a preventative measure, it is possible the study could expand to include hydroxychloroquine in other COVID-19 treatment options. Henry Ford doctors are prescribing hydroxychloroquine as an off-label treatment for only hospitalized COVID-19 positive patients who meet specific criteria as outlined by the hospital systems Division of Infectious Diseases.

The FDA will provide the drug to the health system to distribute. Recruiting for the study has not yet begun. More information is available here.

Henry Ford has more than $100 million in annual research funding and is already involved in numerous COVID-19 trials with partners around the world.

The health system is a $6 billion integrated health system comprised of six hospitals, a health plan, and more than 250 other sites. It was established in 1915 and has 32,000 employees.

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Detroit's HFHS to Lead First Large-scale Study in US of Effectiveness of Anti-malarial Drug in COVID-19 Prevention - dbusiness.com

A century ago, after the 1918-1919 Spanish influenza pandemic, few Canadians had to be reminded about how deadly a respiratory viral infection could be. Estimates vary, but 50 million to 100 million people worldwide perished in the most devastating pandemic in history an event that, strangely, has largely receded from memory.

Older people will also remember the polio epidemics. The Crippler left in its wake close to 50,000 children, as well as adults, with varying degrees of muscle weakness and paralysis, and over 4,100 dead. These worsened across Canada from the late 1920s through the late 1950s during the years before polio vaccines were widely available.

During the 1980s and 1990s, HIV spread rapidly around the world. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was lethal until the development of treatment regimes, public education campaigns and other prevention measures.

In 2003, thousands of people fell ill, and many died, during an especially severe outbreak in Toronto that seemed to target hospitals and health care workers. This was SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), a pneumonia-like infection caused by a novel coronavirus (similar to COVID-19) that began in China and was imported into Canada.[3]

But until the COVID-19 pandemic contemporary urbanized societies were no longer especially preoccupied with the threat of widespread infectious disease outbreaks. While this prevailing sense of security is rooted in genuine confidence in public health protections and medical science, it also reveals a kind of social complacency and amnesia about the damage that infectious diseases are capable of inflicting.

SPANISH FLU

Among all of these earlier examples, the Spanish influenza pandemic was unique in its intensity and extent. Its story also offers powerful insights into the impact and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand much more today, but our well-being still depends not just on science, but also on a broad and deep understanding of the stories of past tragedies.

During the Middle Ages and through the 19th century, urban populations in much of Europe and Asia were regularly decimated by pandemics. Bubonic plague was one of the most deadly diseases, transmitted by fleas and parasites. According to the World Health Organization, the bubonic plague also known as The Black Death killed about 50 million people in 14th century Europe and continued to circulate for centuries.

Later on, the conditions of urban life as well as mass migration became key factors driving the rapid spread of highly infectious and deadly diseases such as smallpox, typhus and cholera. Successive epidemics of cholera swept through Europe and spread to North America on ships filled with migrants from Britain. In Canada, cholera arrived in the 1830s and triggered health emergencies in cities like Montreal and Toronto, prompting unprepared authorities to establish the earliest public health boards.

At the time no one knew how most infectious diseases spread from one individual to another. Scientists hadnt yet discovered bacteria or viruses (germs), the microscope hadnt been invented and the concept of vaccination was in its infancy. Colonial governments enacted draconian quarantine laws, but these often failed to be enforced by local officials.

BREAKTHROUGH

A turning point in the containment of infectious disease outbreaks occurred during a cholera epidemic in London, England, in 1854. Tens of thousands of Londoners had died of cholera epidemics in 1849 and 1853. During an 1854 cholera outbreak, a young physician named John Snow came up with the idea of mapping the addresses of victims in a west-end neighbourhood centred on Broad Street. When he analyzed his famous ghost map, he realized that many of the sick and dead lived close to an outdoor water pump that drew on a well contaminated by a nearby privy. Snows empirical observations, considered to be among the first breakthroughs of modern epidemiology, prompted local officials to remove the handle on the Broad Street water pump, a turning point in public health policy.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many public health advocates and governments pushed to implement prevention-oriented improvements geared at limiting the spread of diseases. The mass production of vaccines and the advent of large-scale inoculation campaigns shifted the fight against infectious disease and epidemics into the realm of preventative medicine.

Routine vaccinations have become one of the principal prevention measures against a range of infectious diseases. Smallpox was declared eradicated from the globe in 1979, and polio is close to the same goal.

What are the connections between todays national and global public health practices and the pandemic that ravaged so much of the world in 1918? Epidemiologists today understand more about the vectors of infection because theyve examined how pandemic influenza spread from troops traveling to and from European battlefields. We drew on some of these lessons during and after the SARS pandemic, in 2003, although dramatic evidence thats surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic about critical shortages of medical supplies and equipment reveal what can happen when shocking events recede from memory.

ABOUT

The Defining Moments Canada website provides a wealth of information about the way Canadians were affected by this pandemic.

Our goal is inoculate ourselves from the lethal consequences of collective amnesia. We seek to remember not just for its own sake, but to ward off the complacency that can leave our communities vulnerable to, and ravaged by, future epidemics.

John Lorinc is Senior Editor, Defining Moments Canada

Excerpted from Defining Moments Canada, published March 30, 2020.

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Infectious disease outbreaks: from The Plague to COVID-19 - Virden Empire Advance

TORONTO Increasingly frustrated health officials say they are prepared to take more aggressive measures to track and contain people with COVID-19 as the number of sick and dead continues to soar.

And that could involve employing some of the digital and mobile strategies seen in countries including Singapore and South Korea where suppression has been more successful, they suggest with caveats.

All of this is under review by various public health bodies, but a York University expert in infectious disease modelling warns that delayed action risks allowing the virus to continue its rapid spread, and force even more intense physical distancing measures.

That may be the painful lesson Canada needs to learn, said Jianhong Wu, an experienced modeller who has led multiple national projects on SARS, pandemic influenza, and immunization evaluation.

Every country has had to go through this first before they learned how serious it is, said Wu, a distinguished research professor whose work includes analysis of epidemic data in Wuhan, China, where the virus was first detected late last year.

The argument for more stringent contact tracing was laid bare in a directive from Ontarios chief medical officer of health this week. Dr. David Williams instructed the provinces public health units to use their authority to isolate COVID-19 cases and anyone with whom those infected people came into close contact.

Williams reiterated that in a press conference, noting the social contacts of those infected must also be traced and contained if were ever to bring the virus to heel.

Even if we were able to flatten the curve, the real grunt work of public health really then kicks into gear even more, explained Williams, referring to the famous line graph that depicts the steep rise in cases that would result without interventions.

(With) all these cases youre going to have to do a lot more contacting, more phone calling, more investigating.

Williams said his office is looking at how to add more staff, volunteers and the use of technology towards this effort.

That work will have to persist through the spring and summer in order to make sure infections dont spark flare-ups.

Were looking at quickly how to ramp that up not only for today, but tomorrow and in the future, because this is going to be very important in the days and weeks going ahead, said Williams.

Its very much intensive work, he added, and thats where technology can help. Whether that includes the use of mobile tracking tools to keep tabs on the infected is an open question, and one hes not ready to rule out.

We have many proposals coming in, and nothing is being rejected outright, said Williams.

Canadas biggest hurdle to tech-assisted tracking is public and political aversion to measures that threaten individual privacy, said Wu, but he argued public safety concerns should trump those worries here.

For now, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott has suggested the emphasis continues to be on people power. She said Thursday that she hoped medical students can help carry that load.

Such a strategy is already in use in Alberta, where approximately 300 University of Calgary medical students have bolstered that provinces ability to contact the infected and make sure they and their contacts self-isolate.

Dr. Richelle Schindler, a resident physician at the U of C who specializes in public health and preventative medicine, said by email that nursing students may be added to the monumental task, in which trackers chase individuals by phone but can send paramedics to check on those they cant reach.

Albertans who violate isolation orders face a $1,000 fine, but courts have been given increased powers to administer fines of up to $100,000 for a first offence and up to $500,000 for subsequent, more serious violations.

Student trackers must have clinical experience but also get two days of training before hitting the phones. They also get program credit for their time.

While the importance of contact tracing has received less attention than testing in Canada, Wu insisted it is a crucial step to suppressing an epidemic.

He noted that test results provide a snapshot of infections that are days, and even weeks, old. But contact tracing can indicate where the virus is as it jumps from person-to-person.

The public should know that if you want to go back to normal you have to know who is exposed, said Wu, pointing to regions in Asia where the use of mobile data is credited with allowing schools and busy markets to remain open.

Contact tracing generally involves notifying the infected and their close contacts, but really effective tracing would also notify contacts of those close contacts, said Wu.

Thats because by the time youve identified people who have the virus, their close contacts may already be infected and spreading it to others.

Then you can say that the community is safe we know who is impacted, or exposed, who is infected, and therefore you can go back to resuming some social activities, Wu said.

Toronto Public Healths associate medical officer of health said Thursday his unit is in the midst of scaling up tracing efforts by developing a web-based system that would allow more front-line staff to join the effort from home.

The Coronavirus Rapid Entry Case and Contact Management System would allow trackers to input essential case information that can be shared with the province.

Dr. Michael Finkelstein said Toronto currently has more than 100 staff following up with those who are infected and their contacts, and acknowledged that it becomes increasingly difficult to keep pace as cases grow.

But for now, mobile tracking of citizens is not part of Torontos strategy.

TPH is aware that some jurisdictions have used this technology and is investigating its use, said Finkelstein by email.

Wu described a synergistic relationship between three pillars of disease suppression: testing, tracing and social distancing. Where one falters, the others must compensate, he explained.

Even if contact tracing becomes less effective as community spread grows, people still need to know the level of infections and degree of exposure.

Its never too late so you can never give up, said Wu.

But I think we are at a stage that we really have to kick in the technologies and you really have to have the participation from the public.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 2, 2020.

With files from Allison Jones

Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press

Coronavirus

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The race to trace the spread of COVID-19 in Canada using disease trackers - Red Deer Advocate

Written by Anushka Jagtiani | New Delhi | Published: April 7, 2020 10:00:56 am

As we battle coronavirus, it is important to know that chronic ailments such as diabetes, heart diseases and obesity continue to increase at an alarming rate in India. Indianexpress.com caught up with physician and award-winning nutritionist Dr Vishakha Shivdasani on World Health Day for her perspective and advice on treating chronic illnesses and building immunity.

On this World Health Day, what health conditions (other than coronavirus) concern you the most?

The fact that diabetes and obesity are the fastest-growing epidemics in human history, and not very much is being done at a preventive level to change that.

Amongst the chronic diseases which one are the most widespread in India? Which ones are growing at an alarming rate?

Well, we are the diabetic capital of the world, though China seems to be beating us at that one. Besides Type 2 diabetes, other chronic ailments growing at an alarming rate are obesity, heart disease, polycystic ovarian disease and certain cancers.

What in your opinion has lead to this rapid increase in diabetes , obesity, and other chronic ailments?

Lifestyle. From the way we eat (high carbohydrates and omega 6 fats) to lack of exercise, to high levels of stress and inadequate sleep. All lead to chronic disease.

Can you elaborate more on the role of processed foods and refined sugar?

Processed foods kill. It is what causes chronic disease, and chronic disease puts us at risk for acute disease too.

Firstly, its a combination of sugar thats added to the processed carbs that in turn cause inflammation and compromises your immune function. Sugar is the enemy of a strong immune system.

Secondly, omega 6 fats that are added to processed food cause inflammation, resulting in chronic disease.

Most processed foods should not be labelled as foods. They should be called processed substances. Yes, a very small percentage of them might retain the whole grain and not use refined sugar. But most are first stripped off their original nutrients, through processing, then they are fortified with artificial vitamins and added chemicals used to increase their shelf life and make them taste good. Which is why they are so addictive. They also are often high in cheap omega 6 fats, refined vegetable and seed oils like soya oil and sunflower which are often hydrogenated and turn into trans fats. Those are the ones that cause heart disease. Not the consumption of good fats like olive, avocado and ghee. As a result, all fats get a bad name, which is wrong.

They can also be high in one of the worst forms of sugar-hfcs (high fructose corn syrup), which is the real trigger for inflammation and, therefore, of heart disease, diabetes and PCOS. Because these conditions are all inflammatory in origin, these sugars are also empty calories which mean they have zero nutritional value, but they cause sugar spikes, make you more hungry, and trigger weight gain, cause insulin resistance and diabetes. Yet you yet crave them. Its a vicious cycle.

ALSO READ | Try these simple 15-minute recipes for a healthy day ahead

Would you say Indians are less reliant on processed foods since we do believe in cooking fresh meals everyday, unlike the West? Or do you see a vast number of chronic diseases here as well, related to processed foods?

Post-lockdown, I went to the supermarket to get my essential groceries. It was so odd that the veggies and fruits and milk etc were freely available, but the aisles of Maggi and pasta, biscuits and bread and sodas were completely empty. Stocking up on junk food is not going to help us survive a pandemic. Lets rethink this strategy.

And sure we dont eat as much of processed meats, frozen foods and sodas as the West on a regular basis, but the consumption of breakfast cereals and white and brown breads, and specially biscuits is huge here. And pizzas, pasta and noodles consumption in urban India is also huge.

Which processed foods are the most harmful to consume?

The ones that are loaded with HFCS high fructose corn syrup obviously, but sugar has 56 different names. And most of the ones that say sugar free have sometimes not one but multiple forms of these sugars and the common man does not identify them as sugar but these are the ones that cause the most damage and lower immunity.

Foods which contain Omega 6 are also harmful as these are pro inflammatory. These are the ones that can cause heart disease.

Low-fat processed food is nothing but a big con. The only one benefiting from that is the food industry, so the first thing I do is take my patients off everything low-fat or fat-free.

Apart from being a GP you specialise in nutrition. Do you feel you can reverse some of these chronic ailments, often caused by lifestyle, using nutrition alone?

Most chronic illness can be reversed completely with lifestyle alone. So yes, I am not the pharma industrys favourite doctor and I am known as the doctor who reduces patients medication. But Im qualified to know when and how to do that and because the patient is directly under my supervision. I can change the medication if I spot a red flag. We have reversed so many Type II diabetics, PCOS cases and made patients drop up to 50 kg just with lifestyle interventions.

For diabetes or insulin resistance, how would you keep it under control with nutrition?

Its quite simple really. You just need to reduce the intake of carbohydrates significantly and make sure you have reasonable amount of protein but not too much (like several fads suggest) and have a good amount of good fats. Dont fear them, just make sure they are not hydrogenated vegetable oils and that they are good fats like ghee, olive oil or avocado oil.

ALSO READ | Coronavirus: Origin, symptoms, causes, treatment, precautions and other details about COVID-19

In these days of coronavirus, diabetics, asthmatics and those with cardiovascular disease are more at risk, why is that?

Covid-19 seems to affect people with compromised immune systems the most. Which is the case with most patients with these conditions. And these are also morbidities, which means you are unhealthy. And one is more likely to be hit hard if unhealthy.

What advise would you give them at a crucial time like this?

Up your immunity. Eat real food. Its your best natural defence to fight any pathogen, be it a bacteria or a virus. It may not stop you from getting the virus but its certainly your best chance to survive if you do get it. Drop the sugar. Add supplements like zinc, vitamin C, Omega 3 and Vitamin D. Also add natural anti-inflammatory foods which is available in every Indian kitchen like turmeric, black pepper, ginger, garlic and cinnamon. Drink lots of water, sleep well, exercise, but dont over-exercise. Over-exercising can backfire and reduce immunity.

Does our healthcare systems have the infrastructure to deal with the growing number of chronic diseases?

Nobody does. I think chronic lifestyle ailments are a huge financial burden on any government and from the looks of it, its only going to get worse. We are focused on medicine for symptoms not on prevention and lifestyle.

What would your advice be to the health ministry?

Lets form a governmental task force of doctors who practice functional medicine and incorporate lifestyle as first-line approach and develop programmes to make people healthy and not wait for them to fall sick and then treat them. Its really about preventative medicine.

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Eat real food, its your best natural defence to fight any virus - The Indian Express

Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath are familiar symptoms for people who have asthma.

We know that viruses, including colds or influenza, can make asthma symptoms worse and potentially trigger an attack.

But what about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus?

We don't know whether the new coronavirus would trigger an attack, but the assumption is that it would work like any other respiratory virus.

However, at this stage, there's no evidence to indicate that people with asthma even those with severe asthma are more prone than others to becoming seriously ill with a COVID-19 infection, said Jo Douglass, an asthma and allergy expert from the University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

"It doesn't seem that asthma is a particular risk for more severe or intensive care admission of COVID-19," Professor Douglass said.

Brian Oliver, a respiratory specialist at the University of Technology Sydney and the Woolcock Institute, agreed.

"I couldn't imagine this being good for asthma, but there's no evidence to say how bad it is for asthma at the moment," Professor Oliver said.

Of much greater risk, he said, is another respiratory disease known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.

But if you do have asthma, it is important you take medication to prevent a flare-up that could land you in hospital, both experts said.

"The best protection against flare-ups of asthma is to have well-controlled asthma at the start," Professor Douglass said.

To understand why, let's dive deep into your lungs and explain what asthma is and how the medicines help.

Asthma is a lung condition marked by recurrent episodes of coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.

These symptoms are caused by a tightening or constriction of the muscles in the airways.

People with asthma tend to have more lung tissue than others.

"A person with asthma's lungs are remodelled in such a way that they almost become the equivalent of an elite athlete's," Professor Oliver said.

"The airways in the lung structure are changed in such a way that it makes them easier to contract."

Constriction of the airways is often triggered by an allergic inflammatory response to things like dust, pollen or mould.

It can also be triggered by inflammation caused by a virus (but you can also have asthma without having a virus and vice versa).

The inflammatory process that underlies allergic asthma or any other allergies like hay fever usually involves different types of immune system cells than those fighting viral infections, Professor Douglass said.

"It is a different sort of inflammation than what we see with viral infections in the majority of people."

Medications are designed to either relieve asthma symptoms or prevent asthma.

Reliever medications, also known as puffers, use a drug that relaxes the smooth muscles in your airway to relieve your symptoms.

They have no impact on your immune system.

But, Professor Oliver said, viruses in general can make these medications less effective and you can still have an asthma attack.

"On a molecular level, viruses do this by desensitising the pathway through which your puffer drug is designed to work," Professor Oliver explained.

"So if your bronchodilator [medication] isn't working, when you have symptoms [caused by inflammation in response to the virus], the drugs that should be helping you don't work as well."

Many people with asthma need to take a puffer in combination with a preventer or steroid-based inhaler to prevent asthma attacks.

This drug, which is designed to reduce inflammation in your lungs, is prescribed by your doctor and is taken every day.

While there have been some concerns raised over the impact of high dose oral steroids on the immune system, the inhaled doses used by most people with asthma are low and unlikely to have an effect, Professor Oliver said.

Professor Douglass agreed.

"There's no indication that inhaled steroids are [putting us] at increased risk at all that we're aware of, and I think they are the best protection we've got against having asthma exacerbations," she said.

She said it was important that people talked to their doctors and stayed on their inhaler medications to avoid exacerbations, which could be serious, or the need to go on oral steroids if a flare up happened.

"All doctors are keen to avoid the use of high-dose continuous oral corticosteroid medications, especially in the current setting of infections," Professor Douglass said.

Newer medicines that are based on human antibodies are good options for people with severe asthma, as they cut down the use of high dose oral steroids and prevent flare-ups, she added.

While around 10 per cent of Australians have been diagnosed with asthma it is often overlooked and misdiagnosed especially in adults.

If you haven't been diagnosed, signs to look out for include:

Some people may have been diagnosed but have undertreated asthma.

As a rule of thumb, using a puffer more than twice a week means your asthma is poorly controlled, Professor Douglass said.

"If you're needing [a puffer] more than twice a week you should be on a preventive [medication]," she said.

Other people may have also been diagnosed with asthma, but gone off their preventative medications because they haven't had an attack for a while.

"You can fool yourself into thinking it has gone away, Professor Oliver said.

"But the message is if you've had asthma, you should keep taking your preventive medications."

The recent cases of thunderstorm asthma highlight why.

"When we had the thunderstorm asthma ... a lot of people with asthma weren't taking that preventive medication and then did really badly," he said.

It was also important to realise, he said, that these medications have a finite shelf life.

"So contacting your GP and talking to them and getting medical advice is really important," he said.

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I have asthma. Am I more at risk of having a severe coronavirus infection? - ABC News

New Jersey, United States: Market Research Intellect has added a new research report titled, Veterinary Medicine Market Professional Survey Report 2020 to its vast collection of research reports. The Veterinary Medicine market is expected to grow positively for the next five years 2020-2026.

The Veterinary Medicine market report studies past factors that helped the market to grow as well as, the ones hampering the market potential. This report also presents facts on historical data from 2011 to 2019 and forecasts until 2026, which makes it a valuable source of information for all the individuals and industries around the world. This report gives relevant market information in readily accessible documents with clearly presented graphs and statistics. This report also includes views of various industry executives, analysts, consultants, and marketing, sales, and product managers.

Market Segment as follows:

The global Veterinary Medicine Market report highly focuses on key industry players to identify the potential growth opportunities, along with the increased marketing activities is projected to accelerate market growth throughout the forecast period. Additionally, the market is expected to grow immensely throughout the forecast period owing to some primary factors fuelling the growth of this global market. Finally, the report provides detailed profile and data information analysis of leading Veterinary Medicine company.

Veterinary Medicine Market by Regional Segments:

The chapter on regional segmentation describes the regional aspects of the Veterinary Medicine market. This chapter explains the regulatory framework that is expected to affect the entire market. It illuminates the political scenario of the market and anticipates its impact on the market for Veterinary Medicine .

The Veterinary Medicine Market research presents a study by combining primary as well as secondary research. The report gives insights on the key factors concerned with generating and limiting Veterinary Medicine market growth. Additionally, the report also studies competitive developments, such as mergers and acquisitions, new partnerships, new contracts, and new product developments in the global Veterinary Medicine market. The past trends and future prospects included in this report makes it highly comprehensible for the analysis of the market. Moreover, The latest trends, product portfolio, demographics, geographical segmentation, and regulatory framework of the Veterinary Medicine market have also been included in the study.

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Table of Content

1 Introduction of Veterinary Medicine Market1.1 Overview of the Market1.2 Scope of Report1.3 Assumptions

2 Executive Summary

3 Research Methodology3.1 Data Mining3.2 Validation3.3 Primary Interviews3.4 List of Data Sources

4 Veterinary Medicine Market Outlook4.1 Overview4.2 Market Dynamics4.2.1 Drivers4.2.2 Restraints4.2.3 Opportunities4.3 Porters Five Force Model4.4 Value Chain Analysis

5 Veterinary Medicine Market, By Deployment Model5.1 Overview

6 Veterinary Medicine Market, By Solution6.1 Overview

7 Veterinary Medicine Market, By Vertical7.1 Overview

8 Veterinary Medicine Market, By Geography8.1 Overview8.2 North America8.2.1 U.S.8.2.2 Canada8.2.3 Mexico8.3 Europe8.3.1 Germany8.3.2 U.K.8.3.3 France8.3.4 Rest of Europe8.4 Asia Pacific8.4.1 China8.4.2 Japan8.4.3 India8.4.4 Rest of Asia Pacific8.5 Rest of the World8.5.1 Latin America8.5.2 Middle East

9 Veterinary Medicine Market Competitive Landscape9.1 Overview9.2 Company Market Ranking9.3 Key Development Strategies

10 Company Profiles10.1.1 Overview10.1.2 Financial Performance10.1.3 Product Outlook10.1.4 Key Developments

11 Appendix11.1 Related Research

Complete Report is Available @ https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/product/veterinary-medicine-market-size-and-forecast/?utm_source=SI&utm_medium=888

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Tags: Veterinary Medicine Market Size, Veterinary Medicine Market Growth, Veterinary Medicine Market Forecast, Veterinary Medicine Market Analysis, Veterinary Medicine Market Trends, Veterinary Medicine Market

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Veterinary Medicine Market Size Analysis, Top Manufacturers, Shares, Growth Opportunities and Forecast to 2026 - Science In Me

This weekend a tiger at the Bronx Zoo tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans. But its a leap to worry if your household feline can get or transmit the coronavirus, says Karen Terio, chief of the Zoological Pathology Program at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, which assisted in diagnosing the tiger.

A tiger is not a domestic cat, they are a completely different species of cats, she says. To date we have no evidence of the virus being transmitted from a pet to their owners. Its much, much more likely that an owner could potentially transmit it to their pet.

Even then, the risk of a pet contracting the virus is low. Globally, only two dogs and two cats have tested positive for the virus, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

The first publicly recorded instance of a pet diagnosed with COVID-19 happened in Hong Kong in late February, and Hong Kongs Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department along with veterinary experts at the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) concluded it to be a case of human-to-animal transmission. The pet dog belonged to someone who had the virus, and authorities at the Hong Kong Agriculture Department and OIE believe the dog contracted the virus from its owner.

Over 1 million human cases at this point worldwide and weve only seen four domestic animals test positive so far worldwide, so the risk is very minimal [for COVID-19] to get to pets, says William Sander, assistant professor of preventive medicine and public health, also at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine.

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At the moment, Sander says, it appears theres little-to-no risk of pets transmitting the virus to their human owners, with no specific evidence suggesting this type of transmission has ever happened. Thats why in the U.S. were really not pushing hard to test pets at all, he says. In the U.S., there hasnt been a single case of a pet diagnosed with the virus, at least according to the countrys Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There is no reason to think that animals, including pets, in the United States might be a source of infection with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a spokesperson for the AVMA wrote in an emailed statement to TIME. COVID-19 appears to be primarily transmitted by contact with an infected persons bodily secretions, such as saliva or mucus droplets in a cough or sneeze.

Terio, however, emphasizes that there is still much that is unknown. If your pet, for example, did contract the virus, it is not clear whether your animal would show signs of infection the way a human would. The tiger at the Bronx Zoo did show signs of respiratory distress, Terio says, but theres a lot that we dont know about how different animals are going to respond to a viral infection.

We dont know if an animal could be an asymptomatic carrier, or if theyd experience a mild or severe form of the disease, Terio adds. This is the tip of, you know, just trying to figure out whats going on, she says. Unfortunately there are way more questions than answers at this time, and thats toughI think this whole thing is unsettling for everybody, and its hard when we dont have good answers for people.

Out of caution, the CDC and AVMA recommend that sick humans stay away from their animal companions. Just like youre keeping your distance from other people, try to have somebody else in your house take care of your pet, just to be overly cautious, Sander says. If you are sick or showing symptoms and you have to take care of your pet, the CDC recommends avoiding snuggles or touching your pet, and washing your hands thoroughly before and after feeding.

Sander and Terio note that scientists still dont fully understand how viruses like the one that causes COVID-19 might or might not move between humans and domestic animals.

Several preliminary studies, which have not been peer reviewed yet, have been shared on public access websites in the last week, Sander says, suggesting that some groups of domestic animals can be infected with SARS-CoV-2 in laboratory settings. Similarly, during the 2003 outbreak of SARS-CoV, also caused by a coronavirus in the same family as SARS-CoV-2, researchers determined that cats and ferrets could be infected with the virusbut that was in a lab setting. Those studies determined that there was little cause for concern that transmissioneither to humans or to other animalscould happen in a natural environment, Sander says.

To understand SARS-CoV-2, we base some of our educated guesses on the previous SARS-CoV that came out in 2003, Sander says. As of now, researchers believe SARS-CoV-2, like the previous SARS, is not likely to transmit from pets to humans.

The AVMA also cautions against over-interpreting the results described in more recent studies, some of which may report on data from a very small number of animals or provide only preliminary results.

Though studies have shown that the virus can live on a variety of surfaces for several hours or days, both Sander and the AVMA say it is unlikely the virus can live on an animals fur, though Terio notes that there isnt enough research to say that with 100% certainty.

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, SARS-CoV-2 can live on plastics for 72 hours, on stainless steel for 48 hours, on cardboard for 24 hours and on copper for 4 hours.

Obviously, pet fur was not one of the [surfaces] they tested, Terio says. There are a number of variables involved, but you have the presume that [the virus] could potentially survive for a period of timeof potentially a day or so on the surface. Again, we dont know the answer.

In its emailed statement, the AVMA spokesperson writes that while the virus can be transmitted by touching a contaminated surface or object and then touching your nose, mouth or eyes, this appears to be a secondary route. In addition, smooth, non-porous surfaces such as countertops and doorknobs transmit viruses better than porous materials; because your pets hair is porous and also fibrous, it is very unlikely that you would contract COVID-19 by petting or playing with your pet. However, its always a good idea to practice good hygiene around animals, including washing your hands before and after interacting with them.

Though there remain a lot of unknowns, the experts TIME spoke with agree that it is unlikely that a pet can be infected with the virus or that a pet can transmit the virus to humans. But if you are sick, take extra precautions around your animals, because there is a small chance they could catch the virus from you.

In this time of social isolation, pets are actually a great comfort for the mental health side of things too, Sander says. If you arent showing any clinical signs of anything, take advantage of having that mental support.

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Write to Jasmine Aguilera at jasmine.aguilera@time.com.

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Your Pets Are Not Likely to Get or Transmit Coronavirus. Here's What the Experts Say - TIME

As COVID-19 spreads across the globe, a common question is, can infectious diseases be connected to environmental change? Yes, indicates a study published today from the University of California, Davis One Health Institute.

Exploitation of wildlife by humans through hunting, trade, habitat degradation and urbanization facilitates close contact between wildlife and humans, which increases the risk of virus spillover, found a study published April 8 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Many of these same activities also drive wildlife population declines and the risk of extinction.

The study provides new evidence for assessing spillover risk in animal species and highlights how the processes that create wildlife population declines also enable the transmission of animal viruses to humans.

Spillover of viruses from animals is a direct result of our actions involving wildlife and their habitat, said lead author Christine Kreuder Johnson, project director of USAID PREDICT and director of the EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics at the One Health Institute, a program of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. The consequence is theyre sharing their viruses with us. These actions simultaneously threaten species survival and increase the risk of spillover. In an unfortunate convergence of many factors, this brings about the kind of mess were in now.

For the study, the scientists assembled a large dataset of the 142 known viruses that spill over from animals to humans and the species that have been implicated as potential hosts. Using the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, they examined patterns in those species abundance, extinction risks and underlying causes for species declines.

The data show clear trends in spillover risk that highlight how people have interacted with animals throughout history. Among the findings:

We need to be really attentive to how we interact with wildlife and the activities that bring humans and wildlife together, Johnson said. We obviously dont want pandemics of this scale. We need to find ways to co-exist safely with wildlife, as they have no shortages of viruses to give us.

Study co-authors include Peta Hitchens of the University of Melbourne Veterinary Clinic and Hospital, and Pranav Pandit, Julie Rushmore, Tierra Smiley Evans, Cristin Weekley Young and Megan Doyle of the UC Davis One Health Institutes EpiCenter for Disease Dynamics.

The study was supported by funding through the USAID Emerging Pandemic Threat PREDICT program and the National Institutes of Health.

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The Link Between Virus Spillover, Wildlife Extinction and the Environment - UC Davis

COLLEGE STATION In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions on public activity, many people are looking for ways to safely go about their daily lives indoors and online. Luckily, telemedicine supports this goal, and allows individuals to ensure their health and the health of their pets digitally.

Dr. Lori Teller, a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, speaks to pet owners about the basics of veterinary telemedicine and how this tool can be especially useful in the midst of a pandemic.

Telemedicine is the exchange of medical information from one location to another using electronic communications to diagnose, treat or improve a patients health status, Teller said. In most cases, all that an animal owner needs to connect is a smartphone with a working camera, microphone and chat feature.

A computer or tablet may also be used, provided that it is capable of two-way communication and has internet access. In many cases, a telemedicine appointment will be a real-time, live video and audio exchange.

A veterinarian can evaluate many things via telemedicine, Teller said. The first thing will be to obtain a patients history and determine what the current problem is. If the problem is something that can be visualized, such as a skin lesion or limping, then pictures or videos will be helpful. Behavioral and nutritional problems can often be handled via telemedicine as well.

Telemedicine appointments are most effective when there is an established veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR), as the veterinarian may be able to more accurately make a diagnosis and create a treatment plan. If there is no established VCPR, a veterinarian will still be able to provide general advice.

Rules on what the outcome of a telemedicine appointment can be, including the prescription of medications, vary by state.

It is important to note that telemedicine does not replace a physical exam, so there will be times when the veterinarian will tell the client that the patient needs to be seen, Teller said. Telemedicine can play a huge role, especially in times of disaster, such as a pandemic or hurricane, in helping a client determine if a trip to the veterinarian is needed and, if so, when is it needed.

If a pet has a life-threatening emergency, difficulty breathing, pale or bluish gums, has ingested a toxic substance or something large enough to cause an obstruction, is unable to urinate or to stand, has increased seizures, is non-responsive, is experiencing difficulty during labor, has vomiting and diarrhea and lethargy, or is experiencing other serious veterinary conditions, they should be brought to a veterinary clinic.

Teller recommends calling ahead of time to let the clinic know youre coming and what the problem appears to be.

Telemedicine is an extremely valuable tool to help provide care for a patient, she said. It is not a substitute for in-person veterinary care that requires a physical exam or diagnostic tests, such as blood work or imaging, but is a way to manage patients in-between visits to the hospital.

During times of disruption, such as the current pandemic, telemedicine can be an excellent way to ensure that your furry friend continues to get the care they need while also following social distancing requirements and staying safely indoors.

Telemedicine is especially valuable during a pandemic because it can be used to help the veterinarian and the client determine if and when the patient needs to be seen in the hospital or if the problem can be managed at home, at least for the short term, Teller said. It also helps conserve PPE (personal protective equipment) and other resources for emergencies and for human health care facilities.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be found on the Pet Talk website. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu.

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Pet talk: Veterinary telemedicine in the age of COVID-19 - Marshall News Messenger

How can we help?

That simple question has spurred a flurry of activity among students, faculty, staff and university administrators who have looked for ways to assist health-care workers in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether its repurposing university-owned equipment to decontaminate N95 masks, mixing hand sanitizer in chemistry labs for use by hospitals, collecting supplies of personal protective equipment -- of which there is a critical national shortage -- or babysitting health-care workers children, professionals in higher education and the students they serve have found all kinds of ways to help.

We go into this field wanting to help others in one way or another, said Brianna Engelson, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Minnesota. Engelson and other medical students founded MN COVIDSitters, a group that matches students with health-care professionals in the Twin Cities metropolitan area needing childcare, pet-sitting or general errand running. Engelson said more than 300 student volunteers are helping more than 200 health-care providers and their families. They're still seeking more volunteers to help more than 100 other families who have signed up for assistance.

Its tough to be on the sidelines watching your mentors and the people who have been such a critical part of your education giving so much while youre sitting back at home feeling a little helpless, said Engelson, who will be starting a residency program in psychiatry at the university in June. I know I certainly did. Being so close to graduation, Im so close to being there with them, yet here I am at home doing nothing. Thats part of it -- wanting to be involved, but also really wanting to support our mentors.

Students and higher education professionals have found all manner of ways to get involved.

Peter Tonge, the chair of the chemistry department at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, helped coordinate an effort to mix hand sanitizer after he received a message from the dean of Stony Brook's College of Arts and Sciences, a chemist, about a shortage at the university hospital. Tonge said the chemistry department used the World Health Organization's formulation for hand sanitizer, which is made up of hydrogen peroxide, glycerol and either ethanol or Isopropyl alcohol -- all raw materials that faculty members had in their labs.

I created a Google spreadsheet and sent it to faculty. In a couple of hours, they filled in a spreadsheet with the location and amount of each of these reagents, Tonge said. We got a cart, myself and two other people went through building collecting all the reagents, took it down to our general chemistry lab, and a postdoctoral associate and a research scientist mixed up the reagents. By 5 p.m. the same day hed received the email, he said theyd made 17 gallons.

That basically exhausted all of our supplies in the building, so we placed an order for another 80 gallons of ethanol, and today we made another 80 gallons of hand sanitizer, Tonge said Friday.

In a similar effort, the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab at Oregon State University manufactured a fluid needed to transport COVID-19 test swabs in a sterile environment with the materials the lab had on hand. The fluid, known as viral transport medium, protects the virus's genetic material until the swab can be tested. Justin Sanders, an assistant professor at Oregon State's Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, said the lab's scientist initially made three liters of the solution, enough for 1,000 tests, after learning of a shortage from an infectious disease doctor at the Corvallis, Ore.-based Samaritan Health Services. Sanders said the veterinary college has fielded requests for the solution from other hospitals after their efforts were publicized.

Universities, including Oregon State, have also been collecting supplies of personal protective equipment -- including masks, gloves and gowns -- from university labs to donate to hospitals. Oregon State collected 10 pallets of PPE, including an estimated 200,000 pairs of gloves and approximately 8,000 face masks, to donate to county emergency management centers.

We focused on laboratories, kitchen areas, custodial -- anybody that had personal protective equipment, said Mike Bamberger, the emergency preparedness manager at Oregon State University. We collected it up and put in a pile. Then on the main campuses we had people go around and collect it and palletize it and take it over to the local county for distribution.

San Jacinto College, a community college in Texas, also organized a PPE donation drive, collecting supplies from its various health-science programs.

We work with all of our sister agencies, Harris County Emergency Management, Harris County Public Health -- we reached out to them and asked what we could do to help, and they gave us their high-need items, said Ali Shah, the colleges emergency manager. Shah said the college has also collected specimen bags needed by local hospitals and transferred two ventilators owned by its respiratory therapy program to a local hospital. San Jacinto has also partnered with other Houston-area colleges to use 3-D printers to manufacture a component of protective face shields for health-care workers.

Faculty members and students at multiple universities -- including but not limited to Duke University, in North Carolina; Rowan University, in New Jersey; SUNY Stony Brook; and the Universities of Montevallo, in Alabama; and South Carolina -- have mobilized to manufacture masks or face shields using 3-D printers.

Some universities, such as Duke and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, are using different technologies to decontaminate N95 masks, which are in scarce supply.

Michigan State University has repurposed a spiral oven in its Food Processing and Innovation Center -- which is typically used by food companies to test new recipes -- to decontaminate masks using heat. Michigan State has partnered with a local hospital provider, Sparrow Health System, on the effort.

We think this can have a significant impact for our health-care providers in the Lansing region, said Jeffrey W. Dwyer, the director of MSU Extension and senior associate dean of outreach and engagement for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. We will simultaneously be able to work with others around the state and even the country to share our protocol with them and work with them to adapt it.

A group of scientific professionals, engineers and clinicians has organized a volunteer consortium, N95DECON, to review and publish scientific information on mask decontamination strategies.

We came together and did what scientists do best -- read available literature, synthesize information, evaluate data and debate vigorously. Our goal is to better equip hospitals and health-care personnel in these challenging times with concise, organized, data-backed information on this important issue, said Hana El-Samad, an organizer of the consortium and the Kuo Family Endowed Professor and vice chair of the department of biochemistry and biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco.

El-Samad emphasized that decontamination is a substitute for what would be the best solution -- an increased supply of PPE. But she said the need for decontamination among health-care providers is great.

It is true that many institutions and medical centers are taking a courageous lead in setting up methods and protocols for decontamination, El-Samad said. "But there are over 6,000 hospitals in the U.S. alone, plus many other settings with professional users of N95 masks in the U.S. and abroad. Only a handful have adopted any decontamination strategies to date, but a growing number are realizing it might be a decision they need to make in the near future.

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Universities and their students are helping in the coronavirus response in myriad ways - Inside Higher Ed

NORTH GRAFTON, Mass.(April 6, 2020)In the latest in a series of efforts by Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University to help keep the people and animals in its local communities healthy and safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, the schools dean joined forces Thursday with Graftons state representative to deliver a supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) to UMass Memorial Medical Center. Throughout the crisis, the school has donated critical medical supplies to human healthcare facilities, continued to provide emergency and essential veterinary care for its patients, and pursued research projects to help better understand and potentially contribute to treatments for COVID-19.

The schools latest donation of PPE, part of a broader effort by the university to support its local communities and hospitals during the pandemic, was hand-delivered by Alastair Cribb, dean of Cummings School, and state Rep. David K. Muradian, Jr., of Grafton, in an effort to help medical center personnel who are on the front lines of the crisis. This donation was among many the school has made since mid-March, including:

I continue to be amazed by the support from our community during this pandemic, said Michael Gustafson, president, UMass Memorial Medical Center. Donations of PPE like those from Cummings School are helping us to keep our caregivers and our patients safe.

And, in an effort to increase food security for the members of its local community, Cummings School Farm is donating 30 dozen eggs per week, which are being provided to the Grafton Food Pantry and other local food pantries.

The donations Cummings School has made and its many contributions to the health and wellness of the people and animals of our communities will have a significant impact for all of us in the Greater Worcester area, said Rep. Muradian.

Continued services

In an effort to conserve this valuable PPE and to minimize risk of COVID-19 spread, Foster Hospital for Small Animals, Tufts VETS and the Hospital for Large Animals have remained open for emergency and emergent patient cases only, with new protocols to limit person-to-person contact.

As veterinarians, we have a societal responsibility to care for animals in order to uphold the human-animal bond and the mental health of animal owners in a time of great stress, while preserving supplies sorely needed in the human health care system, said Dean Cribb.

Ensuring the integrity of food supply and the livelihood of farmers is also essential for public health and economic viability. Tufts Veterinary Field Service in Woodstock, CT, continues to treat large animal emergencies and perform herd health visits to dairy farms.

Research

Veterinarians contributions to public health go beyond the vital care of animalsthey play a critical role in the development of new therapies and vaccines. They also are crucial to infectious-disease surveillance, especially around pathogens that originate in nature and spread from wildlife to humans, as is suspected with COVID-19. Cummings School researchers are currently involved in multiple research projects related to the study of COVID-19, including readying Tufts New England Regional Biosafety Laboratory for critical studies around the virus, both by Tufts University researchers and other researchers in the community.

For more information about Cummings Schools COVID response and guidance on bringing animals to our facilities for treatment during this pandemic, please visit: https://vet.tufts.edu/latest-updates-from-cummings-school-and-tufts-university/. And, to learn more about how Tufts University as a whole is contributing to COVID-19 efforts, please visit: https://coronavirus.tufts.edu/.

###

About Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University

Founded in 1978 in North Grafton, Mass., Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University is internationally esteemed for academic programs that impact society and the practice of veterinary medicine; seven teaching hospitals and clinics that combined log more than 100,000 animal cases each year; and groundbreaking research that benefits animal, human, and environmental health.

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Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University sends personal protective equipment, ventilators and other medical supplies to area...

MANHATTAN, Kan. The College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University has made accommodations to continue providing the best service possible in animal care and diagnostic services during this time of need.

The colleges recent actions are in line with recommendations from the American Veterinary Medical Association, the World Organization for Animal Health and the World Veterinary Association, who have collectively identified veterinary services as essential. In Kansas, most private veterinary practices remain open with new precautionary protocols to protect clients and professional staff.

Veterinarians serve the public in a variety of capacities beyond animal care, including disease prevention, public health, food inspection and food safety, research on infectious and zoonotic diseases, translational medicine and much more, said Bonnie Rush, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. Despite COVID-19, we continue to provide services that are deemed essential for our community and the state. We have worked through staffing and personal safety guidelines to protect workers and limit interruption of essential services.

The Veterinary Health Center remains open to provide care for urgent and emergency patients of all species. It has also taken measures to protect the safety of hospital staff and the community by making scheduling adjustments. These adjustments include a drop-off concierge protocol and a new discharge protocol, just to name a few. The full protocol is posted at vet.k-state.edu/vhc/covid-19.html.

We are making every effort to maintain around-the-clock services for veterinary patients in need, said Elizabeth Davis, interim center director. Concurrently, as essential members of our community, we are working to keep students, staff and faculty healthy and safe. The Veterinary Health Center is committed to provision of high-quality, specialized veterinary services and exceptional training for professional students and specialists in training.

Another College of Veterinary Medicine service, the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, is providing an added sense of security during a time of uncertainty and unpredictability.

The lab is maintaining regular operating hours, but with staggered shifts for staff, said Jamie Henningson, director of the laboratory. Our services support essential industries and individuals, inside and outside of Kansas, who must continue to operate during this challenging time, which include, but are not limited to, veterinarians, livestock producers, pet owners, rabies testing and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network to detect foreign animal disease or to respond to an outbreak.

For more information and updates, visit the College of Veterinary Medicine website at vet.k-state.edu.

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College of Veterinary Medicine continues to offer essential services to Kansas and beyond - Fence Post

ASHLAND Area veterinary clinics remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic, but only for essential services, which is according to guidelines issued by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Local veterinarians continue to see some patients, but they are seeing only about half the numbers.

At Ashland Animal Clinic, Dr. Chris Pinkston said hes following the AVMA guidelines and those suggested by the Kentucky Veterinarian Association, which are very similar.

We have stopped routine procedures but are still seeing animals with ailments and illnesses, Pinkston said. An example of ailment or illness is urinary tract infection. They are usually not life threatening, but still an illness enough we can treat easily.

Diane Broughton, office manager at Bellefonte Animal Clinic in Flatwoods, said they have canceled elective surgeries like spaying and neutering and are not seeing animals for wellness visits or vaccinations on those who have had vaccinations previously. The office will see animals that have never been vaccinated, like puppies or adults that have never had shots. Also being seen are those who are sick or have other medical conditions.

Were kind of limited to as to what we can do, Broughton said. The state veterinary office gave us instruction defining what essential services are for us.

No clients are allowed in the building, but curbside service is online.

We will call and triage over the phone, she said. A staff member will go and get the animal and talk on the phone if we need to talk to the owner, and then take the animal back out to the car.

All About Animals Veterinary follows the issued guidelines as well. Jay Nance, office manager, said they are taking emergency cases only, which includes rabies.

Nance said they are seeing about half the number of animals as usual, because they arent boarding, offering day care or providing spaying or neutering, but business remains steady.

Dr. Ursula Nance said if there is a problem with an animal, the owner should first call the office.

(The office) can tell you if you can do something at home or if we need to see the animal, she said. Ive seen too many cases where, if left too long, it can make the animal worse and make treatment more expensive.

Dr. Pinkston said his clinic also has seen about half the normal business, which is about 20 patients a day.

Broughton said things are constantly changing at Bellefonte Animal Clinic.

Weve had dead periods and weve had periods where we have had several people calling, she said. Weve scaled back hours of operation and number of staff members here because we dont have the volume (of cases) we have had. Its how it is in veterinary medicine in general. Weve seen people every day. Theres always a little bit of need and people can pick up medication refills.

Meanwhile, Broughton said owners should put off a veterinary visit for 30 days if the animal is doing well. That means routine blood work as well as spaying and neutering.

We can offer suggestions over the phone for minor things, she said. We have the ability to do telemedicine. Were not set up for that now, but that could be something that could evolve into.

Dr. Pinkston agreed.

It never hurts to call, he said. We encourage our owners to call us and theres many times we can give good advice. Sometimes we can prescribe things over the phone. He said the clinic doesnt use telemedicine but it likely will branch into it.

(606) 326-2661 |

lward@dailyindependent.com

NOTE: For more information about pet care, visit the American Veterinary Medical Associations website at avma.org.

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Veterinarians 'limited on what we can do' | News - The Independent

Scientists at various labs are looking at animal susceptibility, both in terms of pets and with an eye to what animals could be used in laboratory studies. The same preliminary, unreviewed study that found cats susceptible in the laboratory also found that the virus reproduces poorly in dogs, pigs, chickens and ducks.

Among animals that may be used in laboratory tests, the novel coronavirus infects genetically engineered mice as well as some monkeys. Chimpanzee sanctuaries in the United States have stopped tours and reduced staff members interactions with their animals in case apes may be vulnerable, too.

Ferrets are yet another potential laboratory animal. A report accepted for publication in Cell Host & Microbe documents that ferrets both become infected and pass the virus on to one another, showing some symptoms similar to those of humans, such as a fever, lethargy and coughing. All the animals recovered, however.

Jae Jung, a microbiologist at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, was one of the authors on that paper. He said that mice are likely to be on the front lines of testing, particularly for new drugs or vaccines. Established drugs or vaccines that are similar to previous ones used in humans may go straight to human trials.

In genetically engineered mice, the virus appears in all cells, and the symptoms of the mice are not similar to those of humans. Monkeys, Dr. Jung said, are close to humans, but they can be used only in small numbers. Ferrets are particularly useful, because, like monkeys, they do not need to be genetically engineered, but they are easier to raise in a lab than monkeys and the structure of their breathing system is similar in some ways to that of humans. They become infected in the lungs, as humans do.

Ferrets have been used in influenza research and in research on SARS, partly because they cough and, Dr. Jung found, can pass the virus to one another. They may be useful to study how the virus is transmitted.

Dr. Jung said the ferrets showed a fever and lethargy and occasionally coughing. Around Day 10 or 12 of infection, he said, they all recovered.

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A Bronx Zoo Tiger Is Sick With Coronavirus. Your Cats Are Probably OK - The New York Times

New Jersey, United States: Verified Market Research has added a new research report titled, Veterinary Medicine Market Professional Survey Report 2020 to its vast collection of research reports. The Veterinary Medicine market is expected to grow positively for the next five years 2020-2026.

The Veterinary Medicine market report studies past factors that helped the market to grow as well as, the ones hampering the market potential. This report also presents facts on historical data from 2011 to 2019 and forecasts until 2026, which makes it a valuable source of information for all the individuals and industries around the world. This report gives relevant market information in readily accessible documents with clearly presented graphs and statistics. This report also includes views of various industry executives, analysts, consultants, and marketing, sales, and product managers.

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The main players featured in the Veterinary Medicine market report are:

Market Segment as follows:

The global Veterinary Medicine Market report highly focuses on key industry players to identify the potential growth opportunities, along with the increased marketing activities is projected to accelerate market growth throughout the forecast period. Additionally, the market is expected to grow immensely throughout the forecast period owing to some primary factors fuelling the growth of this global market. Finally, the report provides detailed profile and data information analysis of leading Veterinary Medicine company.

Veterinary Medicine Market by Regional Segments:

The chapter on regional segmentation describes the regional aspects of the Veterinary Medicine market. This chapter explains the regulatory framework that is expected to affect the entire market. It illuminates the political scenario of the market and anticipates its impact on the market for Veterinary Medicine .

The Veterinary Medicine Market research presents a study by combining primary as well as secondary research. The report gives insights on the key factors concerned with generating and limiting Veterinary Medicine market growth. Additionally, the report also studies competitive developments, such as mergers and acquisitions, new partnerships, new contracts, and new product developments in the global Veterinary Medicine market. The past trends and future prospects included in this report makes it highly comprehensible for the analysis of the market. Moreover, The latest trends, product portfolio, demographics, geographical segmentation, and regulatory framework of the Veterinary Medicine market have also been included in the study.

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Table of Content

1 Introduction of Veterinary Medicine Market1.1 Overview of the Market1.2 Scope of Report1.3 Assumptions

2 Executive Summary

3 Research Methodology 3.1 Data Mining3.2 Validation3.3 Primary Interviews3.4 List of Data Sources

4 Veterinary Medicine Market Outlook4.1 Overview4.2 Market Dynamics4.2.1 Drivers4.2.2 Restraints4.2.3 Opportunities4.3 Porters Five Force Model4.4 Value Chain Analysis

5 Veterinary Medicine Market, By Deployment Model5.1 Overview

6 Veterinary Medicine Market, By Solution6.1 Overview

7 Veterinary Medicine Market, By Vertical7.1 Overview

8 Veterinary Medicine Market, By Geography8.1 Overview8.2 North America8.2.1 U.S.8.2.2 Canada8.2.3 Mexico8.3 Europe8.3.1 Germany8.3.2 U.K.8.3.3 France8.3.4 Rest of Europe8.4 Asia Pacific8.4.1 China8.4.2 Japan8.4.3 India8.4.4 Rest of Asia Pacific8.5 Rest of the World8.5.1 Latin America8.5.2 Middle East

9 Veterinary Medicine Market Competitive Landscape9.1 Overview9.2 Company Market Ranking9.3 Key Development Strategies

10 Company Profiles10.1.1 Overview10.1.2 Financial Performance10.1.3 Product Outlook10.1.4 Key Developments

11 Appendix11.1 Related Research

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Tags: Veterinary Medicine Market Size, Veterinary Medicine Market Trends, Veterinary Medicine Market Forecast, Veterinary Medicine Market Growth, Veterinary Medicine Market Analysis

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Veterinary Medicine Market Trends Analysis, Top Manufacturers, Shares, Growth Opportunities and Forecast to 2026 - Germany English News

Posted: Apr 6, 2020 / 02:02 PM CDT / Updated: Apr 6, 2020 / 04:48 PM CDT

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AUBURN, Ala. With recent cases of animals being found to have the COVID-19 disease, people have a lot of questions about coronavirus and their household pets.

In a news release from the university on Monday, Dr. Ellen Behrend, the acting director of Auburn Universitys Veterinary Teaching Hospitals and the Joezy Griffin Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicines Department of Clinical Sciences, broke down recent news about pets infected with COVID-19 and offered best practices for keeping pets and peopl healthy during the pandemic.

Can pets become infected with COVID-19?

Three pets outside of the U.S. have tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 and all lived with humans that also tested positive, Behrend said. Of the three positive cases of suspected human-to-animal transmission, the two dogs never showed any symptoms of COVID-19 and never became sick. The third, and most recent positive COVID-19 result in a pet, is a cat in Belgium that developed gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms about one week after the owner began showing symptoms of COVID-19. It is not known if the virus found in any of these animals was alive or dead, or if the cat coincidentally tested positive for the coronavirus while sick with another problem that caused the symptoms.

Over the weekend, a tiger at New Yorks Bronx Zoo tested positive as well. It is also not clear if animals are able to transmit the virus, or if they are merely carriers. Behrend said they do know that positive tests are neither concerning nor surprising based on previous infectious disease behavior in humans and animals. More research is needed before reliable determinations can be made about human-to-animal and animal-to-human COVID-19 transmission, she said.

Most importantly, she said it is yet another reason to prioritize basic infection control measures, like washing hands after interaction with pets and physically distancing yourself as you would a person you are living with.

How should I care for my pet if I become infected with COVID-19?

If you test positive for COVID-19, let your doctor know that you have pets in your home. Behrend said. Contact with animals should be restricted while you are sick with COVID-19, just like you would distance yourself from other people.

When possible, another member of your household should care for the pets and you should avoid unnecessary contact with your pets. If you have tested positive and are the only person available to care for your pet or service animal, Berhend said you should take care to wash your hands before and after caring for the animal and, if possible, wear a face mask while interacting until you are medically cleared to return to your normal activities.

What do I do if I become infected and my pet gets sick?

If your pet begins to show some symptoms of COVID-19, contact your veterinarian for advice. If you become infected and your pet gets sick also, Behrend says keep the animal in the house, isolate the pet from people and other animals and practice good hygiene when interacting with your pet limit touching, dont snuggle, dont put your face near your pets face, wash your hands afterwards, etc. Be careful with your pets, Behrend said practice some distancing and extra hygiene until you are both healthy, but do not abandon them.

Can animal vaccines protect me against COVID-19?

According to Behrend, the short answer is no. There are coronavirus vaccines made for animals, but they do not protect against the specific type of coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

What are best practices for keeping my pets healthy?

Use the same distancing practices for your pets as you use for yourself, Behrend said. Limit contact with people, especially people with fever or respiratory symptoms. Dont take pets into crowded areas and maintain a distance from others when walking your dog. If a place is safe for you, it should be safe for your pets.

Where can I find information about COVID-19 and my pets?

Behrend suggests the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website atwww.cdc.govand the American Veterinary Medical Association website atwww.avma.org for accurate, up-to-date pet-related information about COVID-19.

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Auburn expert gives advice on pets and COVID-19 - WHNT News 19

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions on public activity, many people are looking for ways to safely go about their daily lives indoors and online. Luckily, telemedicine supports this goal, and allows individuals to ensure their health and the health of their pets digitally.

Dr. Lori Teller, a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, speaks to pet owners about the basics of veterinary telemedicine and how this tool can be especially useful in the midst of a pandemic.

Telemedicine is the exchange of medical information from one location to another using electronic communications to diagnose, treat or improve a patients health status, Teller said. In most cases, all that an animal owner needs to connect is a smartphone with a working camera, microphone and chat feature.

A computer or tablet may also be used, provided that it is capable of two-way communication and has internet access. In many cases, a telemedicine appointment will be a real-time, live video and audio exchange.

A veterinarian can evaluate many things via telemedicine, Teller said. The first thing will be to obtain a patients history and determine what the current problem is. If the problem is something that can be visualized, such as a skin lesion or limping, then pictures or videos will be helpful. Behavioral and nutritional problems can often be handled via telemedicine as well.

Telemedicine appointments are most effective when there is an established veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR), as the veterinarian may be able to more accurately make a diagnosis and create a treatment plan. If there is no established VCPR, a veterinarian will still be able to provide general advice.

Rules on what the outcome of a telemedicine appointment can be, including the prescription of medications, vary by state.

It is important to note that telemedicine does not replace a physical exam, so there will be times when the veterinarian will tell the client that the patient needs to be seen, Teller said. Telemedicine can play a huge role, especially in times of disaster, such as a pandemic or hurricane, in helping a client determine if a trip to the veterinarian is needed and, if so, when is it needed.

If a pet has a life-threatening emergency, difficulty breathing, pale or bluish gums, has ingested a toxic substance or something large enough to cause an obstruction, is unable to urinate or to stand, has increased seizures, is non-responsive, is experiencing difficulty during labor, has vomiting and diarrhea and lethargy, or is experiencing other serious veterinary conditions, they should be brought to a veterinary clinic.

Teller recommends calling ahead of time to let the clinic know youre coming and what the problem appears to be.

Telemedicine is an extremely valuable tool to help provide care for a patient, she said. It is not a substitute for in-person veterinary care that requires a physical exam or diagnostic tests, such as blood work or imaging, but is a way to manage patients in-between visits to the hospital.

During times of disruption, such as the current pandemic, telemedicine can be an excellent way to ensure that your furry friend continues to get the care they need while also following social distancing requirements and staying safely indoors.

Telemedicine is especially valuable during a pandemic because it can be used to help the veterinarian and the client determine if and when the patient needs to be seen in the hospital or if the problem can be managed at home, at least for the short term, Teller said. It also helps conserve PPE (personal protective equipment) and other resources for emergencies and for human health care facilities.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be found on the Pet Talk website. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu.

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Veterinary Telemedicine in the age of COVID-19 - News - Alice Echo News-Journal

Workers in the United States from health care to transportation continue to provide critical services during the pandemic, from delivering packages to driving across the country to distribute supplies to local businesses preparing for emergencies. The NBC News Social Newsgathering team interviewed essential workers in America about their roles and how they're filling an essential need and meeting demand as cases of the coronavirus increase across the U.S.

Ben Hertle has been working as a delivery driver for the United Parcel Service in Maple Grove, Minnesota, for the past decade and is doing so now as packages are needed during this critical time.

Im watching person after person after person lose their job, and I have a job and Im grateful for that, but at the same time, theres so much pain around me that Im seeing as a driver, Hertle told NBC News.

Hertle, 34, lost his job delivering groceries during the U.S. financial crisis in 2008 and carries a feeling of gratitude for his current position.

He remembers applying for a seasonal job opening on the UPS website in 2010 and then becoming a full-time delivery driver.

I feel that Im bringing something thats more than just a box. Its bringing healing and hope, he said from his delivery truck.

Hertle said he and his colleagues maintain limited contact to comply with social distancing guidelines, and he is using hand sanitizer and washing his hands as much as he can.

Im carrying medical supplies, Im carrying very important critical medicine to people, and thats the difference for me, he said.

An essential need is also being filled by over the road truck drivers like Douglas Mcconnaughhay in Arkansas.

My uncle was a truck driver, and ever since I was a tot and I sat up on his truck, it was just something about it, it just got in my blood, Mcconnaughhay told NBC News.

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Mcconnaughhay, 54, has been a truck driver for about 25 years and drives across the country delivering a variety of supplies like paper for cardboard boxes and recycling to farmers supplies and lawnmowers.

He drives 70 hours a week Monday through Frida in a Peterbilt truck and only has about 34 hours to spend with his family in Cabot.

He said one of his biggest challenges is finding a place to buy food while on the road with many restaurants and eateries closed during the pandemic.

He also worries about the fear of exposing his family to the virus when he returns home each week.

My main issue is I cant bring the virus back home to my wife because of her health issues. I just want to be able to be safe and make sure that my home stays healthy and safe, Mcconnaughhay said.

To the truck driver, just stay strong and keep on keep on. Theres some that have it a lot worse than me, he said.

Matt Kinley is the interim fire chief for the Seminole County Fire Department in Florida, where hes served for 19 years.

Kinley wants to ensure that his staff stay safe and healthy while collectively working to stop the spread of the virus. We dont want to be in the same position where everybody is sick overwhelming the system, he said.

Kinley said he and his colleagues are spending long hours managing and guiding paramedics and firefighters and command staff on preparation and ensuring that theyre protected in the process.

He said his fire department acts as an all-hazards fire department helping anyone from a sick patient to responding to a radioactive spill.

So much extends to our families," Kinley said. "Were all just blessed that were out here providing a community service, trying to keep the rock stable at home."

The chief has split up command staff into two separate buildings, a public safety building and a training center and identified primary and backup people.

At home, Kinley said his wife is taking care of their two children, 4 and 7, and home-schooling them while taking care of her parents and in-laws.

I couldnt do what I do without them, he said.

Dr. Alastair Cribb is a veterinarian and dean of a Massachusetts veterinary school and is ensuring that animal patients continue to get treatment during this pandemic.

Its very important that veterinary medicine is still available for people that need to care for their animals while keeping everyone as safe as possible, Cribb told NBC News.

For precautionary measures, Cribb said that his clinics are not allowing owners of animals to enter with their pets but instead to allow their staff to pick them up outside.

He said that the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine loaned out ventilators and donated personal protective equipment to support Tufts Medical Center in Boston to fill a scarcity of resources for health care workers. He said that other U.S. veterinary hospitals have done the same.

We have other ventilators that we could use short term with our patients, Cribb said.

Rima Abdelkader is a senior reporter for Social Newsgathering at NBC News in New York.

Shako Liu contributed.

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During pandemic, essential workers brave through fears and fill critical needs - NBC News

Look for a warm start to the week as highs approach 90 by Wednesday. A cold front will move into the region by the end of the week.

THE FORECAST:

Today and Tonight: Look for some high clouds to thicken over a mostly sunny sky to start the new week. Southerly winds will take hold over the area, increasing the potential for spotty to isolated showers to develop by the evening. The influx of warmth and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will guide afternoon high temperatures into the mid 80s. Overnight brings the best shot at a shower, though coverage will be low. Thermometers will stop in the upper 60s.

Up Next: Continued onshore flow will aid the development of spotty showers on Tuesday as well. High temperatures will continue to increase through the 80s and approach the 90s on Wednesday. A frontal system will then move into the region on Thursday and Friday. This willbring the potential for showers and thunderstorms, and some cells could be strong. Thermometers will take a turn for the cooler behind that system, and unlike the past couple of frontal passages, this cool air mass will have some staying power.

The Mississippi River: At Baton Rouge, major flood stage continues with a level of 42 as of Monday morning. Around April 11, the river is projected to crest near 43. The high water is primarily an issue for river traffic and river islands, although some inundation will continue for a few spots north and south of Baton Rouge that are not protected by levees. Unprotected low-lying areas will be flooded and agricultural operations will be impacted on the west side of the river. The grounds of the older part of Louisiana State University's campus become soggy. This includes the area around the Veterinary Medicine building, the Veterinary Medicine Annex, the stadium and ball fields. The city of Baton Rouge and the main LSU campus are protected by levees at this level. This comes after a year where the gauge at Baton Rouge spent a record smashing run of 212 consecutive days above flood stage between January and August. Peaking at 44.1 on March 19, 2019 the river set its 7th highest recorded crest at Baton Rouge. The level is also high in New Orleans and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has opened the Bonnet Carre Spillway. From May to July 2019, the Spillway was open for a record 79 consecutive days during its second opening of the year. If the Spillway is opened in 2020, it will mark the fourth time in five years and the 15th time since being built in 1931.

THE EXPLANATION:

A ridge of high pressure over the Gulf of Mexico will maintain above average temperatures through the middle of the week. While, mainly dry conditions are anticipated, advancing Gulf moisture amidst onshore winds will allow isolated showers to develop. The chances may be enhanced somewhat by some weak upper level impulses riding over the ridge with the best, albeit low, chance for isolated showers overnight Monday and through Tuesday. Wednesday will be the warmest day of the week with high temperatures approaching 90 degrees. Then, a frontal system will move into the region late Thursday. With several days of warmth and moisture priming the atmosphere, showers and thunderstorms should readily develop. This period will need to be monitored for some stronger activity. The first front will knock temperatures down a bit, as it crawls into the Gulf of Mexico. It is expected to stall close enough to the region that clouds and isolated showers will stick around into the weekend. A second front will then move in during the middle of the weekend. While confidence is low at this time, the current forecast is for this front to flush out the lingering clouds and showers and provide a prolonged period of cooler and drier than average conditions into early next week.

--Josh

The WBRZ Weather Team is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App. on Apple and Android devices. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

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Thermometers climb through Wednesday - WBRZ