AVMA virtual convention will feature COVID-related sessions

Sessions at the AVMA’s upcoming virtual convention will examine the impact of the current pandemic on the veterinary industry and possibilities of future ones.

Events include an “Economic Update,” in which the association’s economic team will discuss the results of the AVMA survey of practice owners regarding the pandemic.

Another session will focus on leadership during the crisis. “The coronavirus pandemic upended our normal way of life, causing extended shutdowns, soaring unemployment, and rapidly changing dynamics,” according to a session description. “Veterinary hospitals had to make quick decisions and rapidly adapt to meet the needs of their patients and clients. There are significant lessons we have learned from this experience—both soft skills and tangible procedural skills.”

A third session will focus on zoonotic threats and lessons from the West Nile virus. That one, subtitled in part “Are we better prepared for a zoonotic threat than we were in 1999?” will be led by Tracey McNamara. McNamara helped discover the arrival of West Nile in the United States while working at the Bronx Zoo.

“We must adopt a species neutral approach to biosurveillance,” a session description said. “Until this becomes a reality, we will continue to use people as the ‘index case’ for pandemic threats.”

The association said more sessions related to COVID-19 were being finalized. The virtual convention is scheduled for August 20-22.