The CDC provides the following information regarding COVID-19 and pets

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some coronaviruses cause cold-like illnesses in people, while others cause illness in certain types of animals, such as cattle, camels, and bats. Some coronaviruses, such as canine and feline coronaviruses, infect only animals and do not infect people. Some coronaviruses that infect animals can be spread to people and then spread between people, but this is rare.

The risk of animals spreading SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to people is low. The virus can spread from people to animals during close contact. More studies and surveillance are needed to understand how SARS-CoV-2 is spread between people and animals. People with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should avoid contact with animals, including pets, livestock, and wildlife. For more information, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/animals.html.

As we look back to when Healthy Davis Together launched in September 2020, there were so many unknowns about COVID-19. Testing was hard to find, COVID-19 vaccines and boosters were not yet available, treatments for those infected were limited and wastewater monitoring for the virus was just beginning. As Healthy Davis Together testing comes to a close on June 30, 2022, we’re at a different point in the pandemic.

COVID-19 will be in our lives for the foreseeable future, including new variants, but we now have the accumulated knowledge and many more tools to protect ourselves and our community. The City and UC Davis rallied together through Healthy Davis Together and we did what we set out to do – to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Davis and contribute to a safe, gradual return to city and campus life. We are so proud to be part of such a remarkable and resilient community. 

HDT came at an important time when there weren’t a lot of other testing options and when our community was in need. Now, there are many ways to get tested, such as at pharmacies, the County, and even at home with rapid testing that doesn't require an appointment. HDT was the tool we needed at the time of most necessity.

The City is very thankful to all the partners, businesses, schools, colleges, community members and organizations that pulled together during the pandemic to help protect their community, families and friends. We are so proud to be part of such a remarkable and resilient community.

For information about Healthy Davis Together, visit: https://healthydavistogether.org/.

What has HDT achieved? What has been the impact of the program?

With the support or our partners, organizations and the community, Healthy Davis Together has achieved so much – with more results to come when the evaluation of the program is completed this month. Examples of what we have achieved together include:

• Conducting more than 800,000 COVID-19 community tests across 120 locations 
• Administering 16,000 COVID-19 vaccines to 8,700 individuals with 38% of doses being provided to self-identified Hispanic/Latinx residents
• Collecting over 10,000 air filter and wastewater samples
• Supporting more than 50 K–12 schools with testing and education materials
• Providing free testing, grants, and other resources to keep over 400 local businesses open
• Forging strong, lasting bonds within our community

In July 2022, an analysis was given by Mathmatica of HDT's effectiveness in improving the health and economy of the Davis community and underscoring the value of a precision public health strategy.

According to Mathmatica, in the first 16 months, the HDT program helped to:

    -  Reduce COVID-19 case counts by 60%
    -  Prevent 4,144 cases of COVID-19
    -  Avoid 275 COVID-19 related
       hospitalizations
    -  Avert 35 COVID-19 related deaths

Read the full evaluation here.

For over two years, Healthy Davis Together partnered with UC Davis and the City of Davis to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community. “Davis vs. COVID-19” is a docuseries exploring how Healthy Davis Together offered a comprehensive approach to protect an entire community during the pandemic. Click below for the various videos.