This study analyzed data on the sources and the level of Italians’ awareness on the risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2 at the human–animal interface. Data were collected through a survey-type investigation on a representative sample of the Italian population. Forty-five percent of the interviewees were aware that companion animals could be infected by SARS-CoV-2. However, 29.8% were familiar with preventive measures to adopt to avoid viral transmission between infected humans and companion animals, and only 20.7% knew which companion animals could be at risk of infection. Higher awareness regarding the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission between animals and humans (51.7%) and the measures to prevent it (33.3%) was detected among companion animals’ owners. Notably, 40.4% of interviewees were not informed at all. Television broadcasts (26.4%) represented the main source of information, while only 3.5% of the interviewees relied on veterinarians, of which 31.9% considered this source of information as the most trustworthy. Overall, 72.4% of Italians recognized that the communication campaign on COVID-19 and companion animals was inadequate. This survey highlights the need for increasing the public awareness of the risk of companion animals being infected with SARS-CoV-2 and the involvement of professionals in the public communication on zoonoses.

SARS-CoV-2 and Companion Animals: Sources of Information and Communication Campaign during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy / Laconi, Andrea; Saracino, Barbara; Fattorini, Eliana; Pellegrini, Giuseppe; Bucchi, Massimiano; Bailoni, Lucia; Piccirillo, Alessandra. - In: VETERINARY SCIENCES. - ISSN 2306-7381. - 10:7(2023), pp. 426.1-426.18. [10.3390/vetsci10070426]

SARS-CoV-2 and Companion Animals: Sources of Information and Communication Campaign during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

Fattorini, Eliana;Pellegrini, Giuseppe;Bucchi, Massimiano;
2023-01-01

Abstract

This study analyzed data on the sources and the level of Italians’ awareness on the risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2 at the human–animal interface. Data were collected through a survey-type investigation on a representative sample of the Italian population. Forty-five percent of the interviewees were aware that companion animals could be infected by SARS-CoV-2. However, 29.8% were familiar with preventive measures to adopt to avoid viral transmission between infected humans and companion animals, and only 20.7% knew which companion animals could be at risk of infection. Higher awareness regarding the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission between animals and humans (51.7%) and the measures to prevent it (33.3%) was detected among companion animals’ owners. Notably, 40.4% of interviewees were not informed at all. Television broadcasts (26.4%) represented the main source of information, while only 3.5% of the interviewees relied on veterinarians, of which 31.9% considered this source of information as the most trustworthy. Overall, 72.4% of Italians recognized that the communication campaign on COVID-19 and companion animals was inadequate. This survey highlights the need for increasing the public awareness of the risk of companion animals being infected with SARS-CoV-2 and the involvement of professionals in the public communication on zoonoses.
2023
7
Laconi, Andrea; Saracino, Barbara; Fattorini, Eliana; Pellegrini, Giuseppe; Bucchi, Massimiano; Bailoni, Lucia; Piccirillo, Alessandra
SARS-CoV-2 and Companion Animals: Sources of Information and Communication Campaign during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy / Laconi, Andrea; Saracino, Barbara; Fattorini, Eliana; Pellegrini, Giuseppe; Bucchi, Massimiano; Bailoni, Lucia; Piccirillo, Alessandra. - In: VETERINARY SCIENCES. - ISSN 2306-7381. - 10:7(2023), pp. 426.1-426.18. [10.3390/vetsci10070426]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11572/382930
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