UK scientists are warning that it may soon become “necessary” for house pets to be vaccinated against the coronavirus in order to curb the spread of infection, the Independent reported.
Experts from the University of East Anglia (UEA), the Earlham Institute, and the University of Minnesota say the virus can infect a wide range of species beyond humans, including dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals, signaling a need for those creatures to receive vaccinations as well.
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In an editorial piece for the journal *Virulence*, the scientists wrote that the continued evolution of the virus in animals “poses a significant long-term risk” to public health.
“It is not unthinkable that vaccination of some domesticated animal species might…be necessary to curb the spread of the infection,” they wrote, as per the Independent .
There have been both cats and dogs who have tested positive for the virus. However, there is currently no evidence proving that they can then pass it on to humans.
Cock van Oosterhout, professor of evolutionary genetics at UEA and co-author of the editorial, said it would still be wise to develop a vaccine for pets.
As he told Metro , it would serve “as a precaution to reduce this risk.”
“It is not unthinkable that vaccination of some domesticated animal species might be necessary to curb the spread of the infection,” he continued. “What we need to be as a human society, we really need to be prepared for any eventuality when it comes to COVID-19. I think the best way to do this is indeed consider development of vaccines for animals as well.”
The UK certainly isn’t the only country proposing animal COVID vaccines.
In December of last year, Reuters reported Russia completing clinical trials for a COVID-19 vaccine for domestic animals as well as minks.
More details about this particular vaccine have yet to be made public, but the Federal Centre for Animal Health apparently began developing it in the spring of 2020 after it was reported that can spread from people to some domestic animals.
h/t: Independent
