The possibility of transmission of COVID-19 between humans and animals is a real concern and rightfully so. There have been studies that show only a few animals have been exposed to the virus, but other studies show that only humans are adversely affected. There?s a lot of growth and change to our understanding of how this virus spreads. So, what about Iowa?s chief livestock commodity; hogs?
In the past week, there have been two separate studies released that show that hogs are not susceptible to COVID-19. One of those studies is from China, and the other is from Germany. National Pork bard Senior Vice President Dr. David Pyburn tells us what those reports determined.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have emphasized multiple times that Coronavirus is not a food issue. It is transmitted from human to human. Dr. Pyburn recaps a call that USDA held with representatives of the animal ag sector.
Just because hogs cannot carry it, does not mean you can let your guard down if you work in the pork industry. It is still the humans that are spreading it around. Be safe out there.
