Animal disease outbreaks namely African Swine Fever (Virus from pigs), Ebola Virus Disease (Virus from fruit bats, chimpanzees, monkeys and gorillas), Avian Influenza (Virus from ducks, geese and swans), and H1N1 Influenza (a combination of viruses from pigs, birds and humans) brought devastated pandemic threats and became global challenges recently. The prevention, control, and eradication of diseases are agricultural concerns for biosafety and biosecurity to safeguard primary public-health problems throughout the world.
During an animal disease outbreak, official measures namely slaughter and safe disposal of the carcasses in affected farms, cleaning and disinfection of sheds will be implemented. Thus, appropriate PPE must be selected to:
- Protect frontline operators who carry out cleaning and disinfection processes
- Limit the disease spreading into uninfected areas
Appropriate PPE during pandemics
WHO suggested standard contact and droplet precautions and appropriate PPE (Include gloves, eye protection, face shield, gowns etc.) should be used during these epidemics. Animal disease sometimes can cause international emergency, thus ULTITEC suggested the government should select PPE according to WHO recommendation on Ebola Virus Disease if there are no specific epidemic handbook.
Animal disease outbreaks are public safety lessons worldwide which caused serious health, social and economic consequences to affected countries. Additional cases may continue to occur at any time and from anywhere. Moreover, every frontline operators are valuable assets for the country, ULTITEC encouraged the government to select appropriate PPE to make sure they can go home safely after every heroic mission.
