Muscat: With Eid al Adha around the corner, the authorities concerned are asking people to go for animal sacrifices only in the slaughterhouses. Veterinary supervision of animals before the slaughtering ensures that sick animals are disposed of in a proper way by the specialists.
This is to rule out the confusion of many who are not clear about performing slaughter at home or slaughterhouses at a time when there is spread of COVID-19.
In case of slaughtering at home, many precautionary measures issued by the Animal Health Research Center affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries need to be followed. Those measures have to be followed before, during and after the slaughter.
It stated that it is a must to ensure the animal's general health and that it is free from external parasites such as tick insects. The person who would do the slaughter must be in good health and doesn’t have any injuries or wounds, and must be wearing protective clothing. After slaughter, it is advised to leave the meat chilled for two hours before starting the cutting process to eliminate many pathogens due to the so-called stiffness process. As for the completion, it is advised to dispose the slaughtering waste in a healthy and safe manner and not to throw it in open spaces.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a set of conditions for the prevention of common diseases between the animals and humans, especially during the period of Eid al Adha. The WHO has warned against slaughtering seemingly sick animals and recommended adequate veterinary checks for livestock to alleviate diseases and other infections. It also recommended buying animals through reliable formal sources.
For optimal protection, the WHO directed the slaughterhouses to maintain the facilities and equipment for slaughtering in a proper, healthy manner and maintain their cleanliness. It emphasised that personnel must practice physical distancing, maintain, hand hygiene, and appropriate cough etiquette, and to use appropriate preventive measures while slaughtering animals. Staff should be aware of signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
When disposing of animal remains, unused waste tools for animal products must be in the correct place. Facilities must also have an emergency plan in the event of contamination or outbreak of any disease, the WHO advised.
The Muscat Municipality has announced, days back, a number of regulatory measures to ensure the smooth flow of slaughterhouse work, in line with the decision to of complete lockdown and prevention of movement during the evening period.
The municipality adopted pre-booking system for of individuals scarifies with changes in working hours to be from 7:30 am to 11am. The General Directorate of Health Affairs at the MM has completed its proactive measures to receive Eid al Adha, to ensure a healthy environment inside municipal slaughterhouses. It said that all livestock pre-booked for individuals, meat shops, companies and charities will be slaughtered during the night period in limited numbers.
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