Virbac is closely monitoring the evolution of the coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic, particularly in the various countries where our teams are present. 

Today, all our efforts are committed to protecting the health and safety of our employees and to taking all actions that may contribute to slowing down the spread of the virus, thus avoiding the saturation of healthcare systems. As animal health is at the heart of public health, we are also doing our utmost to ensure the best possible continuity of our commitments to veterinarians, breeders and animal owners. To this end, we have set up a dedicated committee that coordinates all functions and remains in contact with all subsidiaries to monitor developments and make the best decisions, quickly and efficiently.

Our thoughts go out, first and foremost, to those affected directly or indirectly throughout the world, to the most vulnerable and needy. We are following the situation very closely within our teams and to date, several cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed among our employees in France and Italy. We are continuously monitoring the evolution of their health and that of their relatives. We are aware that new cases will appear in our workforce around the world, as this disease is particularly contagious. 

Our top priority is to protect our teams as best we can. This is why measures have been put in place at the Group's various sites: communication on how the virus spreads and on the barrier protocols to be respected, symptom monitoring, distancing and prohibition of contact, flow regulation, adaptation of workstations to the various environments (production, R&D, administrative), supervised management of external service providers, personal protection equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves at the most exposed workstations, etc. These measures have been designed in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the health authorities in each country. 

Our business continuity plans have been triggered. Ongoing files have been prioritized and a new work organization has been implemented, avoiding cross-contact between teams and imposing teleworking on all functions that allow it. Our means of remote communication have also been reinforced to better communicate with veterinarians and breeders as well as with employees (extended videoconferencing functionalities, telework productivity guide, SMS alert system, etc.), all this to ensure the continuity of our activity and our commitments to our customers in the animal care and feeding chain. 

In France, Virbac is also in discussion with the National Agency for Veterinary Medicinal Products to supply anti-inflammatory and anaesthetic products to hospital departments that have requested them through the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines. Requests for participation in diagnostic tests and PCR-type equipment are also being studied. For the production of our veterinary drugs, we use compulsory devices such as masks, gels, gloves, gowns, etc., which are very difficult to supply due to restrictions or shortages: whenever possible, we will study the possibility of supplying some of this equipment to local medical structures.

Finally, our teams continue to provide advice to pet owners via various digital media to answer their questions about Covid-19 and possible activities for their pets to ensure their well-being during confinement. It is through all these actions that Virbac can fulfill its societal role and allow life to continue. Our teams are on the front lines to enable our pets to continue to eat and the veterinarians and breeders to continue to care for the health of all animals. Taking care of the animals that share our homes, especially those of people in isolation, is more necessary than ever. 

We thank all our teams around the world for their unwavering commitment in this regard, as well as their discipline and efforts to adapt in these exceptional circumstances.