17 States Recognize Veterinarians As Essential Workers

Across the country, more states are acknowledging that veterinarians and their services are needed in the fight against COVID-19.

As of Tuesday morning, 15 states had officially deemed veterinarians as essential workers, and another two said veterinarians are essential in an emergency services capacity.

“This is what we’ve been tracking and what we’ve identified, but it’s not necessarily an official list,” Michael San Filippo told Bovine Veterinarian, via email. “Veterinarians should consult with their state associations to confirm their status and for more information,” emphasized Filippo, senior media relations specialist for the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

Many bovine veterinarians across the country continue to make on-farm calls to treat livestock, given the challenges involved in trying to diagnose health issues and treat large animals remotely.

San Filippo reports that the AVMA has developed a document about why veterinary services should be classified as essential and shared it with all 50 U.S. governors. The document is available here: https://bit.ly/2UrDUbO

Dr. John Howe, president of the 95,000-member AVMA, will update the agriculture industry on the organization’s work to address COVID-19 on AgriTalk at 10:15 AM CST on Wednesday. You can listen here: https://www.agweb.com/agritalk

This article will be updated as AVMA identifies more states that have deemed veterinarians and their services as essential.

Farm Journal Live: Are Rural Hospitals Ready for COVID-19?

John Phipps: The Relationship Between COVID-19 and Weather

5 Stress-Management Tips for Uncertain Times