COVID-19

10 July

The deadline for making an application for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan extended to August 8th

wsvma   |   COVID-19, Practice Management

Last week, the House passed a bill that extends the application deadline for the PPP. The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent Tuesday night. The extension comes one day after the Small Business Administration (SBA)'s loan forgiveness program had reached its application deadline of June 30. The bill will extend the program's application deadline from June 30 to August 8. The bill is expected to be signed into law by the President shortly. With roughly $132 billion in remaining...

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10 July

New CDC COVID-19 document for pet owners

wsvma   |   COVID-19

The new CDC document, “What You Need to Know About COVID-19 and Pets” is intended to be shared with pet owners, and contains concise, plain language information on SARS-CoV-2 in pets. It provides information on clinical signs and testing in animals, what to do if an owner thinks their pet is sick, and guidance for owners who test positive for COVID-19. This handout can be distributed to concerned pet owners in COVID-19 positive households or to veterinary clinics fielding these questions. This...

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07 July

Gov. Inslee orders businesses to refuse service to customers not wearing masks

wsvma   |   COVID-19

Effective July 7, 2020, Washington businesses must refuse service to customers who are not wearing appropriate face coverings unless covered by a medical exemption. Gov. Inslee put the legal requirement in place to help curb the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state. Face coverings are required statewide in all public spaces because they are effective in slowing the spread of COVID-19, especially when combined with 6 feet of physical distance. As Washington State counties begin to reopen and...

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26 June

Myths and Facts about Cloth Face Coverings

wsvma   |   COVID-19, Practice Management

This week, the Secretary of Health announced a public health order requiring everyone to wear face coverings in public. This requirement starts on Friday, June 26. The emerging science on face coverings indicates that they are effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19 if we wear them consistently. And “consistently” means that all of us—even if we feel healthy—need to wear a cloth face covering in public places. We’re going to be covering our faces for a while. Gather up the...

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22 June

COVID-19: A Guide to Reopening Veterinary Medicine in Washington – Phase 2

wsvma   |   COVID-19

The WSVMA is releasing a new version of COVID-19: A Guide to Reopening Veterinary Medicine in Washington – Phase 2 to give additional information for practices as counties open up into Phases 2 and 3 during the pandemic. The Guide, written by well-known expert Scott Weese, DVM, DVSc, DACVIM in partnership with the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, lays out a comprehensive plan to assist veterinary practices to implement appropriate measures to ensure the health and safety of both veterinary clients...

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19 June

New Covid-19 one health toolkit available

wsvma   |   COVID-19

The Toolkit: One Health Approach to Address Companion Animals with SARS-CoV-2 is now available on the CDC website. This document is intended to provide guidance to public health and animal health officials involved in managing companion animals diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 and other One Health partners.   Posted June 19, 2020...

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19 June

New CDC Guidance for Agriculture Workers and Employers

wsvma   |   COVID-19

The CDC has released the Agricultural Employer Checklist for Creating a COVID-19 Assessment and Control Plan. This document is a companion piece to the recently released guidance for Agriculture Workers and Employers. Agricultural employers can use this checklist to create a COVID-19 assessment and control plan for applying specific preparation, prevention, and management measures to prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19. The checklist is divided into five sections: assessment, control plan, shared housing, transportation, and children. You can find...

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12 June

Urge lawmakers to reverse course on taxing PPP expenses

wsvma   |   COVID-19, Practice Management

Veterinary professionals and veterinary business owners can support our colleagues by asking Congress to pass legislation ensuring that business owners impacted by COVID-19 aren’t penalized by income-tax rules after taking out a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Despite recent legislation that made improvements to the PPP loan program, PPP borrowers are prohibited from claiming federal tax deductions that are normally fully deductible – including some rent and utility payments, and wages and benefits paid to employees – for forgivable...

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05 June

Veterinary industry covid-19 impact tracking

wsvma   |   COVID-19

The data experts at VetSuccess have developed a dashboard to track the daily impact of COVID-19 on the veterinary industry. With data from over 2,800 practices, the tracker shows daily visits and revenue, plus how each day compares to the same day last year on a regional basis. Use this tracker to monitor the industry and compare your practice numbers. The data is refreshed daily in the afternoon and can be viewed by state and major metropolitan areas. Visit the website...

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22 May

SBA releases small business loan forgiveness guidance

wsvma   |   COVID-19, Practice Management

The Small Business Administration (SBA) just recently released additional information on the forgiveness aspects of the Paycheck Protection Program and the application that will be utilized - Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application. It includes a detailed worksheet and guidance to calculate eligible expenses for forgiveness. The PPP loan forgiveness application clarifies many of the common questions from borrowers while providing details on additional requirements for loan forgiveness. Highlights include: Borrowers have the option to pick and choose which non-payroll...

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