Are we still open during these times? Yes.
We work with many dogs daily, and regularly clean our hands between clients using high percentage alcohol-based hand sanitisers and normal washing as the normal standard. We even perform periodic wardrobe between clients to ensure hygienic standards are kept. Ex. between certain dogs and cats.
So what's changed, and how are we containing it?
- We don't service any client that is quarantined (obviously). - We wash our hands more thoroughly and between each client. Thus, even if the virus could be on the coat of a dog, it would be stopped at the cleaning phase. - At most home estates, one's temperature gets measured on every entry and exit via a temperature gauge. As we travel through them multiple a day we get multiple temperature readings a day.
Thus, we're clean, the dogs are clean (well, some need a wash) we're still open and we're here to serve.
Note and Update:
Although most dog shampoos probably would not eliminate the virus if it is on your dog's coat (ex. an infected owner sneezed on his dog, sis), it is suggested to wash your dog regularly if you do visit dogs parks frequently and your dog is affectionate with other dogs as a precaution.
By some miracle, if the virus landed on a coat, the chances of spreading via the surface to a person are very low as in lab conditions (with no external factors like wind, water or movement) the virus survived shorter on soft surfaces ex. cardboard (8 hours to 24 hours) and longer on inanimate hard surfaces such as glass or metal (up to 3 days).
The study released on 17 March:
Date of publishing: 23 March