The Animal Health Branch has received many questions about how COVID – 19 - and the control measures - are impacting livestock movement. Food and Agriculture is one of sixteen (16) essential functions in the critical infrastructure of the nation, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security. As of March 30, 2020, California does not have any additional COVID-19 restrictions for animals being imported or traveling within California.

I have been asked if the coronavirus 19 (COVID 19) is contagious to horses and from horses to humans. The short answer is no. However it would be possible to get the coronavirus 19 from a horse if an infected human coughed some droplets onto a horses coat and an uninfected human then got those droplets on their hands to become infected.