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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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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.