Abstract
There is a lapse of 2 months between me typing these lines and the publication of the FELASA news item in Laboratory Animals. We are currently in a lockdown in most parts of Europe, with some countries waiting to reach their peak of daily reports of Covid-19 cases, and others starting to relieve their confinement rules. Where will we be when these lines are published? Well, we have our hopes.
We also have gratitude. Anyone exposing themselves to potential virus carriers in order to perform public service duties deserve thankfulness. Healthcare workers, grocery shopkeepers and teachers are often acknowledged in the newspapers. In the LAS community, we all know our heroes are the animal caretakers and technicians, as well as the technical services maintaining a safe physical environment for animals. They cannot work from home, they cannot always observe social distancing, they have to commute, they have to perform their routine duties and preserve animals’ welfare. The science must go on.
At a time when all the media lights flash the scientists to burst open the lockdown and out the pandemic, we shall not forget our dark knights, our hands in the shadow performing the hard and necessary background work relentlessly and with great resilience: many thanks to our animal caretakers and technicians.
Take care