Although the novel coronavirus is believed to have originated from an exotic animal food market in Wuhan, China, domestic dogs and cats do not appear to be vulnerable to the disease.
If you're staying at home in isolation, veterinarians say, you should interact with your pets as normal.
But there is reason to exercise caution, as the medical community is not yet comfortable with the amount of information it has about the virus.
One Manhattan-based vet told the New York Post that people should keep interactions between their pets and other people "to a minimum."
The World Health Organization, which last week officially characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic, reports that at this time there is "no evidence" that pets can be infected with the new coronavirus. But animals' skin and fur may act as fomites for COVID-19 — meaning they may be able to transmit the disease in a way similar to how inanimate surfaces can.
The Centers for Disease Control advises people who are sick to restrict contact with animals just like they would with other humans.
If you must care for your pet while you're sick, it is recommended that you wash you hands before and after interacting with them.
There was at lease one case in China in which a dog tested positive for low levels of the novel coronavirus. However, the animal did not show any symptoms and tested negative for the virus after two weeks in quarantine.
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