- consultations at our hospital are often between 20 minutes and 1 hour in a closely confined space. This is very different to lining up at the supermarket where the interaction is very brief. Close confinement for a prolonged period of time carries a much greater risk of spreading COVID

- we see many people every day in the above conditions. If we happen to contract the virus, either through a client or through our own interactions, there is a very good chance of us spreading it through our hospital and to our clients. If we calculate that we each may see 10-25 people per day, we have the the ability to cause a major hotspot before we even know that we have it. We don't want to be responsible for infecting our community. We treat our client's health, the health of the community and our own role in that very seriously. 

- if any of us contract COVID, the whole hospital would have to close for a period of time and be limited in it's ability to help pets for a period afterwards. We want to be around to help when you need us :-)

- it is impossible for us to examine your pet with you holding your pet while at the same time creating any distance, which increases the chance of transmission.

Many vets are employing similar policies the what we are. We are unable to speak for those that have more relaxed policies but we have chosen  to be on the safer side. For the reasons above, being wrong would be catastrophic. The sentiment of COVID changes daily, and being able predict whether community transmission will increase or decrease has been impossible. Better safe than sorry? We don't want to be responsible for infecting our community. 

But there is less community transmission now!!

As at the 15th June, there was no community transmission for the prior 10 days, then one new case daily for the previous 3 days. What will happen tomorrow? Next week? We have continued the monitor the progress of the disease daily, and will, as soon as it is safe for you, safe for us and safe for the community, make our policies easier. Please understand that this process is extremely difficult for us as well as for you. We are much less efficient while still trying to help as many people with their pets as possible. Every day is exhausting, and most of us are working longer hours than usual.  We can't wait to get back to normal- but not at the expense of risking the health of everyone. We don't want to be responsible for infecting our community.