The Greene County Fair starts next week, July 29 to August 4, and Greene County Public Health officials want to remind families to take steps to stay healthy, and leaders at the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and Health (ODH) want to encourage guests to practice good hygiene when visiting livestock exhibits this summer;
- Visitors should always wash their hands with soap and water before and after petting or touching any animal.
- Never eat, drink, or put anything in your mouth in animal areas.
- Parents and caregivers are encouraged to leave strollers outside the animal exhibit and carry small children.
- Older adults, pregnant women, young children, and people with weakened immune systems should consider avoiding animal areas.
“Ohio’s fairs are wonderful events that promote our state’s next generation of leaders and highlight the strength of food and agriculture as Ohio’s largest industry,” said ODA Director David T. Daniels. “We want to ensure that guests and animals at our fairs stay healthy and it’s so important that patrons follow posted signs and make healthy decisions when visiting the fair.”
“Simply washing your hands can help ensure your visit to a fair is fun and safe,” said ODH Director Lance Himes. “While not common, some illnesses can be directly transmitted between animals and humans, and fair-goers need to keep that in mind this summer.”
ODA works with fair boards to increase access to hand sanitizers and hand-washing stations and provides educational signage for posting at barns. Frequent hand-washing can lower the risk of getting sick, and Ohio’s fair veterinarians are also trained to closely monitor fair livestock and poultry for illnesses.
Exhibitors who believe their animal may be sick should immediately contact their barn manager and fair
veterinarian, and fair guests who experience illness should contact a medical professional, and their local
health department.
For more information about safety measures, visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/people-raise-pigs-flu.htm. For more information about Greene County Public Health, call 937-374-5600 or visit www.gcph.info.
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