Scientists say that policymakers may have to consider destroying or vaccinating animals to prevent harmful Corona virus mutations that could return to humans.
This statement is part of a recent report from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) on the long-term evolution of SARS-CoV-2. Evidence that cats can be infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, emerged in early April 2020 from Wuhan, China. Evidence that they can also spread the infection to other cats under certain circumstances appeared in the same month.
After that, as quoted from Science Alert, Tuesday (10/8/2021), the infection was also confirmed in mink in Denmark and the Netherlands, in a number of large cats in zoos, dogs, foxes and various other species. It should also be kept in mind that the source of SARS-CoV-2 may be bats, and other wildlife species can also spread it.
Infection of some of these species with SARS-CoV-2 can cause real illness, posing problems for veterinary medicine, well-being or conservation. More broadly, transmission to or from companion animals that spend a lot of time or are in close contact with humans also poses additional problems in controlling pandemics in humans.
For example, if transmission between humans and cats occurs easily, then control of the pandemic in humans may require measures to prevent it and that may include vaccination and quarantine of cats.
There is evidence of human -to -cat transmission but very little evidence for cat -to -human transmission. Also, there is not much evidence of transmission between cats under normal conditions (not in the laboratory).
So far, we have a greater risk of exposure from family and friends than pets. However, scientists note that stakeholders need to consider the possibility of such a scenario in the future, and the possibility of new variants emerging in animals.
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