World Animal Health Organisation (OIE), Indian Meat Science Association and Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (GoI) issued the notification stating that poultry has no role in transmission of COVID-19 to humans. This information was shared by Dr. Inderjeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana. He revealed that scientific findings clearly indicate that the corona virus is known to spread through human to human interactions. However, the person suffering with COVID-19 infection should be screened out and should not be allowed to handle either domestic animals or any food products whether of plant/animal origin or even cooked. They may cause secondary surface contamination of the products.
Dr. Singh emphasized that the farm workers, milkers, milk/meat handlers, butchers, dairy and meat industry personnels should be screened regularly and anyone showing symptoms of fever, cough, nausea, diarrohea and difficult breathing should not be allowed to enter the farm and meat/dairy industry premises. The infected persons should immediately consult the doctor and quarantine themselves.
All the workers should be instructed to follow the general hygiene of frequent sanitisation and washing of hands, cover the mouth with mask and avoid spitting, sneezing and coughing in food plant and public places to prevent the spread of disease. Everybody should take protein rich immunity booster food products to increase their strength to fight against the disease.
Vice-Chancellor urged general public to stop forwarding fake videos without ascertaining the facts. Undue fear among people adversely affects the demand of eggs and poultry meat or other products, and consumers will be deprived of good affordable source of protein. Further, consumption of all the food products including milk, meat and poultry products should be consumed after proper cooking only, so that all the infectious agents including viruses may be killed. The general principles of food hygiene and proper cooking must be followed as per suggestions of WHO/OIE.
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