Returning to “normalcy” after the outbreak of COVID-19 may seem like a daunting task, but with the right amount of planning and preparations, you can ensure that everyone in your stable remains coronavirus safe during their visits.
More About COVID-19
Clinically known as COVID-19 (corona virus disease 2019), coronavirus is a highly contagious disease that is commonly transferred through sneezing, breathing, coughing, and speaking.
It’s for this reason that the CDC has recommended that people maintain a distance of 6 ft from one another.
John Hopkins University released a study that provided some information about the virus that can be used in order to combat it.
According to the study, the virus is a protein molecule that is protected by a layer of fat.
This fat can be easily dissolved using antibacterial soap and warm or hot water.
For this reason, in order to best combat the virus, it’s recommended to thoroughly scrub your hands for at least twenty seconds as often as possible.
The virus can also be efficiently attacked by alcohol; hand sanitizer that has a high alcohol concentration is recommended to be used as often as possible, as well.
COVID 19 Safe Horse Stables
As equestrians, we have an obligation to ensure that our horses are cared for; it’s next to impossible for us to just not go to the stables.
For this reason, it’s absolutely crucial to establish a safety plan to ensure that there’s no risk of viral transmission at any point. Consider implementing the following things at your barn:
- Limit staff to essential workers only
- Keep employees on a regular schedule- in the case of an outbreak, this allows the source to quickly and easily be traced.
- Implement a “visiting” schedule for everyone to follow: this way, everyone gets their barn time in without overcrowding the barn or posing any type of health risk to one another.
- Set up hand washing/sanitizing stations at the entrances of the barn and require all who enter to sanitize or wash before continuing into the barn
- Discourage (or limit) visitors
- Encourage social distancing at all times
- Limit jump set up to just trainers (who thoroughly wash hands before handling the jumps)
- Ask all riders to disinfect any tack, tools, or equipment used during their visit
Update Your Stable Biosecurity Plan
Your stable's security plan should be designed in order to ensure that the stable is prepared in the case of disease or illness.
This plan includes a step-by-step guide on how the stable will properly prevent the transmission of disease or illness inside the barn.
While of course barn biosecurity plans are usually focused on equine diseases, it’s also important to plan for human diseases, as well. Your biosecurity plan will play a large part in ensuring that your barn will be able to return to normal business operations.
Update your biosecurity plan to ensure that you have a detailed action plan in place and make sure that it is posted throughout the barn.
With the right amount of preparation and precaution, you can ensure that your barn is a safe and healthy environment for everyone.
Make sure to communicate to your employees, riders, and boarders about your COVID 19 stable safety plans: staying healthy and happy is a group effort!
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