Scientists have been aware that animals can contract coronaviruses for decades. It is not even surprising that COVID-19 has the ability to transmit back and fourth between animals since some theories of it’s origin include spillover from bats or other animals.
While spillover events are still seemingly rare, the virus’s ability to move between species is still very relevant, mostly due to the virus’s ability to mutate in an animal host before transferring back and spreading wildly amongst human communities worldwide.
As we begin to do more testing, the impact scientists see may begin to take a more ominous shape and only data collection and analysis will teach us more.
“Many studies have been done to learn more about how this virus can affect different animals. These findings were based on a small number of animals, and do not show whether animals can spread infection to people.
Recent experimental research shows that many mammals, including cats, dogs, bank voles, ferrets, fruit bats, hamsters, mink, pigs, rabbits, racoon dogs, tree shrews, red foxes, and white-tailed deer can be infected with the virus. Cats, ferrets, fruit bats, hamsters, racoon dogs, and white-tailed deer can also spread the infection to other animals of the same species in laboratory settings.
A number of studies have investigated non-human primates as models for human infection. Rhesus macaques, cynomolgus macaques, baboons, grivets, and common marmosets can become infected with SARS-CoV-2 and become sick in a laboratory setting. There is some evidence suggesting that laboratory mice, which could not be infected with original strains of SARS-CoV-2, can be infected with new virus variants.
Chickens and ducks do not seem to become infected or spread the infection based on results from studies.”
While many studies have already been done, its clear to see that we need much more data and research to understand how animals play a part in this pandemic.
We have to be able to attack this virus from all angles and the more we know the better chance we stand. Clear Health Pass intends to help bridge this gap by being one of the first to market with a new at home COVID Pet Test.
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