SUZANNE WILLIAMS: Safety tips to keep the fun in fall
LIFESTYLES COLUMNIST: CDC has advice for keeping kids safe during the fall events
Suzanne Williams
It is the time of year when pumpkin patches, fall festivals and Christmas tree farms are operating and many of them have petting zoos and also sell food products. It is important for parents to recognize the potential health risks associated with these venues and improper hand hygiene. The facts are that petting zoos and farms can be a source of E. coli transmission.
One such incident occurred in Maine, where two children — one a 20-month-old boy and the other a 17-month-old boy — were infected with E. coli O157:H7 after visiting a petting zoo at a county fair in September. The 20-month old died, and the other has developed HUS and is still battling for his life.
The CDC warns that: “When people forget to wash their hands after petting an animal, or bring food or drinks into an area where animals are exhibited, they are at risk for becoming ill.”
Advice from the CDC for parents, teachers, etc. to help keep kids safe includes the following:
• Be sure to visit hand-washing stations at petting zoos, festival locations and farms.
• Always make sure that children wash their hands right after petting animals or touching the pens, etc. where the animals are housed.
• Even if children do not touch the animals, wash their hands after exiting the animal holding areas.
• Always wash hands before touching food or drinking, before preparing food or drinks, and after removing soiled clothing or shoes after visiting farms or petting zoos, etc.
• Keep food and drinks out of areas where animals are held.
• Prepare, serve and eat food only in areas where animals are not permitted.
• Do not eat or drink raw, unpasteurized juices, cider, milk or cheeses.
• Supervise children under age 5 constantly in animal holding areas.
• Do not allow children to put thumbs, fingers, pacifiers or other objects in their mouths while in the animal areas.
• Do not take strollers, bottles, pacifiers, cups or toys in animal areas.
• Supervise hand-washing.
According to the CDC, hand-washing with soap and running water is best. If these are unavailable, use hand sanitizers, but also wash hands well as soon as a sink is available. Remember that hands should be washed with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds, paying special attention to clean between fingers and around fingernails.
For more information, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have a website devoted to this topic at http://www.cdc.gov/features/animalexhibits/ or contact Suzanne Williams at the UGA-Dougherty County Extension Office at (229) 436-7216.
Email Suzanne Williams, Family and Consumer Sciences agent with the University of Georgia’s Dougherty County Extension Office, at [email protected].
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