[OHIOBWG] FW: Update to USFWS information on bat handling activities and SARS-CoV-2

[Titchenell, Marne]

FYI everyone, in case you haven’t heard yet.

[The Ohio State University]
[cid:image002.jpg at 01D5BA80.6BBD5C90]

Marne A. Titchenell
Wildlife Program Specialist, OSU Extension
School of Environment and Natural Resources
College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

210 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Rd, Columbus, OH 43210

614-292-0402  Office
titchenell.4 at osu.edu<mailto:titchenell.4 at osu.edu>  woodlandstewards.osu.edu<https://woodlandstewards.osu.edu/>  senr.osu.edu<https://senr.osu.edu/>



Dear colleagues.

For your information, the attached memorandum is the latest information from the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding recommendations for mitigating the risk of humans transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to bats through activities involving contact with live bats.

This memorandum rescinds any previous recommendations issued by the Regions and programs on any guidance for mitigating the risk of humans transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to bats or coronavirus transmitted from bats to humans.



The Service recommends that activities performed by FWS employees, and activities performed by others on Service lands, involving direct contact with live bats be: conducted with use of COVID-specific personal protective equipment (PPE, follow the guidance (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https*3A*2F*2Fwww.cdc.gov*2Fcoronavirus*2F2019-ncov*2Findex.html&data=02*7C01*7Cbrianne.walters*40indstate.edu*7Cb3e5ac55fb3a4854dc7208d8121de14a*7C3eeabe396b1c4f95ae682fab18085f8d*7C0*7C0*7C637279266837527604&sdata=VXFJeJHK6HGEhnG8K891BZ5Zp8RPgL4fC2SpPKEqvl0*3D&reserved=0__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUl!!KGKeukY!lhagkKuPKw0MOVhWd_MtyFsP_niZH_jOWmf857dUYC1HGTHwJUrXbw3Qo_4egmJNmcU$>) of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and be in accordance with state, local, and other Federal requirements.   Where Service applicants or permittees had planned surveys or research involving direct contact with live bats, either on Service lands or non-Service lands, they should follow the guidance above or consider alternatives to handling live bats, such as acoustics detection and guano collection.  Acoustic survey data are equally acceptable to mist net survey data.



PLEASE SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE ATTACHED MEMO





Be well,

Jon

===============================================
Jonathan Reichard, Ph.D.  (he, him)
Assistant National Coordinator for White-nose Syndrome
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Desk : 413-253-8258
Teleworking/Mobile: 413-335-2886

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www.WhiteNoseSyndrome.org<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http*3A*2F*2Fwww.whitenosesyndrome.org*2F&data=02*7C01*7Cbrianne.walters*40indstate.edu*7Cb3e5ac55fb3a4854dc7208d8121de14a*7C3eeabe396b1c4f95ae682fab18085f8d*7C0*7C0*7C637279266837537599&sdata=wHjYABurfrS6jh7HvDV4sPmBwYcRa17ARIu*2Bo7gs9gw*3D&reserved=0__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSU!!KGKeukY!lhagkKuPKw0MOVhWd_MtyFsP_niZH_jOWmf857dUYC1HGTHwJUrXbw3Qo_4e_dts41k$>



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