Haven't signed into your Scholastic account before?
Teachers, not yet a subscriber?
Subscribers receive access to the website and print magazine.
You are being redirecting to Scholastic's authentication page...
Announcements & Tutorials
Welcome!
Sharing Google Activities
2 min.
Setting Up Student View
Exploring Your Issue
Using Text to Speech
Join Our Facebook Group!
1 min.
Subscriber Only Resources
Access this article and hundreds more like it with a subscription to Science World magazine.
Article Options
Presentation View
Covid-19 Vaccines for Animals
CATHY BAZZONI/CZS-BROOKFIELD ZOO
Patient: Kyan Species: serval Zoo: Brookfield Zoo, Illinois Date: Sept . 2021
People aren’t the only ones who can become sick with Covid-19. Animals closely related to humans, like orangutans and gorillas, can catch the virus that causes the illness too. Carnivores, like big cats and minks, are also at higher risk. That led Zoetis, a company that makes pharmaceuticals for animals, to create a Covid-19 vaccine exclusively for furry patients.
ZOETIS/OAKLAND ZOO (ARCHIE); CATHY BAZZONI/CZS-BROOKFIELD ZOO (T-MO)
(left) Patient: Archie Species: ferret Zoo: Oakland Zoo, California Date: July 2021
(right) Patient: T- Mo Species: two-toed sloth Zoo: Brookfield Zoo, Illinois Date: Sept. 2021
The U.S. Department of Agriculture authorized the treatment for experimental use in early 2021. Since then, Zoetis has donated thousands of doses to zoos across the country. Zookeepers have administered the vaccine to their most vulnerable residents to protect them from contracting Covid- 19. “Animals can get sick with the same diseases as people,” says Mahesh Kumar, a microbiologist who led the development of the vaccine. “It’s our job to protect them.”
Patient: Sandy Species: binturong Zoo: Brookfield Zoo, Illinois Date: Sept. 2021
LOOKING FOR MORE NEWS ABOUT COVID-19?
Visit the Science World Covid-19 new portal for up-to-date coverage.