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INDIANAPOLIS–You probably can’t get COVID-19 from animals, says the president of the American Veterinary Medical Assoc. He said that you should wash your hands and use good hygiene any time you are around animals, though, because zoonotic diseases are always a concern.

Those are diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans, and the state fair is a place where that can happen.

LISTEN: Dr. Doug Kratt talks COVID, other zoonotic diseases

“If there’s one silver lining in what we’ve learned the past year during the pandemic, it’s if we wash our hands, don’t touch our mouths, don’t touch or eyes, most zoonotic disease will not transfer to us,” said Dr. Doug Kratt.

He said that being around animals, whether they are pets or at an exhibit, is good for people. It cuts down on stress levels and anxiety. But, you should sanitize or wash your hands to avoid getting sick.

Kratt said getting COVID from domesticated animals is not likely.

“Last check that I did there were approximately 200 cases of COVID in domesticated animals,” said Kratt. That’s exceptionally rare, given the number of domesticated animals in the United States and around the world. The transmission of COVID from animal to person is even more rare.

“There has not been a case where an animal has transmitted it back to a human at this point.”

He said the animals that have gotten COVID have gotten it from people, not the other way around.

He said that you don’t need to worry about getting your pets vaccinated. There’s not even a way to do that in Indiana at this point.