The pastimes of summer are here finally: August heat, long and muggy nights at baseball games, and county fairs. The fair season is a particular favorite for many--from August through October, deep fried food and animal shows grace the American landscape. This year, though, FEDs say to fear the fair: The swine flu can pass from pigs to humans that we are in danger of an outbreak.
According to officials, a stern warning of washing your hands in in order. The Centers for Disease Control are monitor a new strain of the swine flu and believe the great American county fair scene is a great location for the disease to spread.
Two pigs with swine flu were sent away from the Ohio State fair in July. Another case occurred in Indiana. The Wisconsin State Fair is now being watched closely for sick pigs.
Common sense is the only way to combat the flu, at times. For example, the CDC's warning to wash hands should go without saying--though if you've been to certain county fairs the lack of true sanitizing hand soap is shocking. Perhaps holding a little pocket sized hand sanitizer may help. More common sense: Don't take your deep fried oreos or loaded baked potato into the animal barn with you..
And finally, and this one comes from the personal files of Earth Informer: The final approach to battling disease and sickness at the fair is to not touch the animals, play with the animals, or pet the animals. Maybe it's the paranoid person within me, but I never much liked the petting zoo scene. But swine flu may. So avoid appropriately.
And don't panic. Go to the fair. Eat the food.
Just be sensible and, as always, know your surroundings.