ANIMAL WORLD

HUMANS VS. COVID-19: HOW ANIMALS CAN BREAK THE TIE.

In 2020, the COVID-19 virus swept through the world so rapidly that it literally left everyone breathless and panicked in its wake. To curb its devastating spread, there was one obvious solution - Lockdown and social distancing.

Governments worldwide shut down, reinforcing a new law - people must stay in their homes for a chance at survival as front-liners such as medical workers and scientists tried to understand how the virus can be stopped. Several months and thousands of deaths later, a vaccine was developed which will help confer some immunity and give humanity a fighting chance against the virus intent on flattening our population. The human vaccine is now available for immunization, but what are we overlooking? - the ANIMALS!.

Granted, there have only been few reported cases of COVID-19 occurrence in animals with mild or no symptoms. Still, it is essential to note that COVID-19 has been highly mutagenic (mutating at an increasing rate). If animal health is overlooked in the war against COVID-19 in humans, it might just be the case of winning the first battle to lose the grand war. Ignoring animal health can have a devastating effect on human health as can be glimpsed from other animal-transmitted (Zoonotic) viruses such as Ebola, Lassa Fever, Rabies, Anthrax and many more.

  Fortunately, some forward-thinking scientists in Russia have produced the first batch of the world's Covid-19 vaccine for animals. The vaccine could help prevent mutations of the virus from 

emerging and using the animals as a reservoir host (a primary host that harbors diseases but shows no sign of illness). In addition, the vaccine will also protect vulnerable animals and pets such as cats and dogs and revive animal-driven industries, such as mink fur farming, that the pandemic has crippled.

The initial batch of 17,000 doses of the vaccine named "Carnivac-Cov" will be distributed across several Russian regions and in Germany, Poland, Kazakhstan, Thailand and South Korea. Hopefully, the animals' COVID-19 vaccine will also be prioritized and made available worldwide, giving the virus no chance to mutate and attack the human population yet again.