Pets may need to be vaccinated against the coronavirus as well, to prevent the continued spread of the virus, according to experts, The Guardian reports.
Experts from University of East Anglia, Earlham Institute, and the University of Minnesota say they have found evidence that transmission of the virus from pet to humans "poses a significant long-term risk to public health."
"It is not unthinkable that vaccination of some domesticated animal species might … be necessary to curb the spread of the infection."
Molecular biologist Larisa Labzin told the Daily Telegraph that Australia could be well-positioned to lead the world on animal vaccinations.
"Our animals' health and what diseases they have will ultimately impact us, either by wiping out our food sources or making us sick. We should be looking into this everywhere globally, but especially in Australia because, our community transmission is low," he says.
