Guidance on Veterinary Practices Amid COVID-19 Pandemic from PA’s Department of Health, Department of State & Department of Agriculture

On March 19, 2020, Governor Wolf and the Secretary of Health ordered the closure of all non-life-sustaining businesses to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The Governor’s Order is available here and the Secretary of Health’s Order is available here. All life-sustaining businesses maintaining physical operations during the COVID-19 pandemic must follow the Secretary of Health’s worker safety order, effective April 15, 2020.

Veterinary medicine services are life-sustaining businesses and have been permitted to continue to operate under the Governor’s Order. The designation of veterinary medicine as a life-sustaining business does not eliminate the need for veterinarians to promote public health practices and align with efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. There are measures veterinarians can take to protect the health of their staff and the public. The Pennsylvania Departments of Health, Agriculture, and State appreciate the cooperation of the veterinary community and have developed the following guidance for veterinary practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more of the official guidelines here