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Maintaining good hand hygiene
The WHO has stated that washing your hands is the most effective method of preventing transmission.

WHO advice for preventing infection

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is advising everyone to regularly and thoroughly clean their hands in order to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The guidance states that washing your hands properly should take between 20 and 30 seconds, and should be done more often than usual, particularly after sneezing, coughing, blowing your nose or after being in public spaces where other people are doing so.

Hands should be washed with soap and water – or alcohol-based rub if this is all you have access to – and dried thoroughly afterwards.

The organisation also emphasises the importance of avoiding touching your face as this can transfer the infection to your eyes, nose and mouth, increasing the chance of the virus entering your body.

The WHO has produced two posters on hand washing and rubbing with images, which provide a step-by-step guide on how to properly wash hands.

For more information please visit the WHO website at www.who.int

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."