COVID-19
Risk Checklist:
Prior To Your Veterinary Surgeon’s Visit

Your veterinary surgeon has indicated that they are prepared to visit your premises during the COVID-19 outbreak in order to attend your horse. In doing so they are potentially placing themselves at risk and you should respect the guidance they have provided which not only aims to protect them, but also you or your staff. If physical distancing and biosecurity measures are not respected then this and future veterinary visits are unlikely to be possible.

If anyone at the property exhibits signs of COVID-19 (such as a high temperature or persistent cough) or is self-isolating or is considered vulnerable to COVID-19 (age > 70, underlying health condition, pregnancy) then you should inform your veterinary surgeon immediately. If anyone at the property develops signs that could be due to COVID-19 prior to the visit, then you MUST contact your veterinary surgeon immediately.

Your vet will minimise the time spent at your property. You should not expect your vet to enter into discussion at the time but rather collect a history beforehand and inform you of their findings/instructions by telephone or video.

• Only one person from your property should assist the veterinary surgeon (even if horses belonging to a number of different owners are being examined / treated) except in exceptional circumstances such as a foaling.
• Physical distancing (at least 2 metres) should be maintained throughout the veterinary visit.
• A strategy for sedation may be discussed with you to facilitate the examination/ treatment without compromising physical distancing. Your vet may want to sedate the horse to allow physical distancing when in normal circumstances sedation would not be necessary; you should respect your veterinary surgeon’s judgement or postpone the visit until there is less risk to human health from COVID-19.
• Gloves should be worn by everyone throughout the visit.
• You should not touch any veterinary equipment and should remain a minimum of 2 metres from it and from the vet’s car at all times.
• You should determine where the veterinary surgeon can park so that they can avoid contact with others on the yard and minimise the length of their visit. A means of alerting you to the vet’s arrival should also be discussed.
• You should not expect the vet to enter an office, house, coffee room or any other building other than to see the horse or wash their hands. Your vet is likely to prefer not to enter any buildings to wash their hands, but rather will wear gloves and use hand sanitiser.
• Please ensure there are facilities for handwashing available. If there are none then make the vet aware of this prior to the visit.
• Do not expect your vet to do additional tasks that have not been discussed prior to their visit
• Please be considerate and respectful to your vet. There is no obligation for them to place themselves at risk by attending your property at this challenging time.
  

Prior To Your Hospital Admission

The clinical team are prepared for you to visit the hospital during the COVID-19 outbreak in order to treat your horse. In doing so they are potentially placing themselves at risk and you should respect the guidance they have provided which not only aims to protect them, but also you or your transporter. If physical distancing and biosecurity measures are not respected then they will need to ask you to leave the premises.

Please do not come to the hospital if you are exhibiting any signs of COVID 19.

Please see the measures below that the clinic team are taking to ensure both you and our team stay safe:

• Face shields, masks and gloves will be worn by the staff when they meet the clients in the car park.
• The staff member will take the admission forms and a wipe down clipboard.
• While the horse remains on the trailer the staff member will remain at least 2m from the client and take the details and complete the paperwork on the wipe down clip boards.
• When completed they will supply the owner with gloves before passing them the clipboard in order for them to sign their consent.
• The client will be asked to show the passport pages open to verify vaccination and removal from food chain, and the passport will be placed into a plastic bag.
• Following delivery of the horse to the stable the headcollar and lead rope will be returned to the client. The staff member will discard their gloves and wash their hands, the facemask, and the clipboard ready for the next admission.

The Directors, Sussex Equine Hospital -  April 2020