Covid-19 Vaccines for Animals

People aren’t the only ones who can become sick with Covid-19. Animals closely related to humans, like orangutans and gorillas, can catch the virus that causes the illness too. Carnivores, like big cats and minks, are also at higher risk. That led Zoetis, a company that makes pharmaceuticals for animals, to create a Covid-19 vaccine exclusively for furry patients.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture authorized the treatment for experimental use in early 2021. Since then, Zoetis has donated thousands of doses to zoos across the country. Zookeepers have administered the vaccine to their most vulnerable residents to protect them from contracting Covid- 19. “Animals can get sick with the same diseases as people,” says Mahesh Kumar, a microbiologist who led the development of the vaccine. “It’s our job to protect them.”

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