Tag Archives: SC State Fair

5 Ways to Protect Yourself While Visiting the SC State Fair Animal Exhibits

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Each October, families from all over South Carolina visit the South Carolina State Fair. Celebrating 150 years, the fair has food, rides, exhibits, and entertainment. The animal exhibits have always been some of the more popular attractions.

Some animals and livestock may carry germs and diseases that can be harmful. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), here are some tips to help prevent the spread of disease while visiting the livestock exhibits.

  • Wash Your Hands.
    • Find a handwashing station and wash your hands right after touching animals or anything in the areas where they live, roam, or eat.
    • Wash your hands after leaving animal areas, even if you didn’t touch the animals.
    • Running soap and water is best, but if not available, make sure that the sanitizer contains at least 60 percent alcohol and wash your hands with soap and running water as soon as you can.
  • Keep food and animals separate.
    • Do not eat or drink around animals.
    • Keep food and drinks away from animal areas.
    • Do not share your food with them, even if you think the food is part of their diet.
  • Do not consume raw products. Raw (unpasteurized) products made or sold at animal exhibits may include: milk, cheese, cider, or juice.
  • Always keep a watchful eye on children around animals.
    • Children 5 years or younger should not have contact with reptiles, amphibians, or live poultry because these animals are more likely to make them sick.
    • Do not let children sit or play on the ground in animal areas.
  • Leave items such as strollers, pacifiers, cups, and toys outside animal areas.

Even healthy animals can carry germs that might make visitors sick. Every year, many people get sick after visiting an animal exhibit. People have reported E.coli, cryptosporidium, and salmonella infections. Those at greatest risk of becoming ill are children 5 years and younger, people with weakened immune systems, and adults over 65 years.

For more information about the livestock competitions and petting zoo at this year’s fair, visit scstatefair.org.

Have A Healthy, Enjoyable Trip To The SC State Fair

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scstatefair - fair gate 2

Photo courtesy of the SC State Fair.

The 149th annual S.C. State Fair will soon be open (October 10-21) and attendees of all ages will once again enjoy funnel cakes, live music, and amusement rides. To help ensure you enjoy your time at the fair, listed below are a few health tips to keep in mind while strolling beneath the neon lights of the Midway.

Always Wash Your Hands

When

  • Before eating and drinking
  • Before and after visiting animal exhibits
  • After using the restroom
  • After playing a carnival game
  • After going on a ride

How

  • Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and running water.
  • Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if running water is not available.

“Keeping hands clean is one of the most important things we can do to stop the spread of germs and stay healthy.” (CDC, 2017)

Things to Avoid

  • Don’t take food or drinks into animal exhibits.
  • Don’t eat, drink, or place anything in your mouth while visiting animal exhibits.
  • Don’t take toys, pacifiers, cups, baby bottles, or strollers into animal exhibits.
  • Don’t enter animal exhibits if you are experiencing any type of illness, particularly flu-like symptoms (e.g. fever, cough, sore throat).
  • Avoid close contact with any animals who appear ill.

Things to Remember

  • Eat ‘hot’ foods while they are still hot and eat ‘cold’ foods while they are still cold.
  • Take extra care to observe these health tips when visiting animal exhibits to prevent diarrheal illness and other infections that animals may carry. This is particularly important for certain groups, including:
  • Children younger than 5 years of age
  • Adults 65 years and older
  • Pregnant women
  • People with long-term health conditions such as, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, chronic respiratory disease, weakened immune systems, and neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions
  • Seek medical attention if you develop a fever accompanied with cough and/or sore throat, diarrhea, and/or vomiting within several days after visiting the fair.

Following these tips will help prevent infections.  Have fun!

 Resources

Center for Disease Control Food Safety at Fairs and Festivals

KNOW How to be Safe Around Animals

Take Action to Prevent the Spread of Flu Between Pigs and People

Wash Your Hands

Tips To Help Make Your Trip To The S.C. State Fair Healthy And Enjoyable

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scstatefair - fair gate 2.JPG

Photos courtesy of S.C. State Fair.

The 148th annual S.C. State Fair will soon be open (October 11-22) and attendees of all ages will once again enjoy funnel cakes, live music, and amusement rides. To help ensure you enjoy your time at the fair, listed below are a few health tips to keep in mind while strolling beneath the neon lights of the Midway.

Always Wash Your Hands

When

  • Before eating and drinking
  • Before and after visiting animal exhibits
  • After using the restroom

    scstatefair - hand washing.JPG

    Courtesy of S.C. State Fair

  • After playing a carnival game
  • After going on a ride

How

  • Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and running water.
  • Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if running water is not available.

“Keeping hands clean is one of the most important things we can do to stop the spread of germs and stay healthy.” (CDC, 2017)

Things to Avoid

  • Don’t take food or drinks into animal exhibits.
  • Don’t eat, drink, or place anything in your mouth while visiting animal exhibits.
  • Don’t take toys, pacifiers, cups, baby bottles, or strollers into animal exhibits.

    scstatefair - pigs

    Courtesy of S.C. State Fair

  • Don’t enter animal exhibits if you are experiencing any type of illness, particularly flu-like symptoms (e.g. fever, cough, sore throat).
  • Avoid close contact with any animals who appear ill.

Things to Remember

  • Eat ‘hot’ foods while they are still hot and eat ‘cold’ foods while they are still cold.
  • Take extra care to observe these health tips when visiting animal exhibits to prevent diarrheal illness and other infections that animals may carry. This is particularly important for certain groups, including:
    • Children younger than 5 years of age
    • Adults 65 years and older
    • Pregnant women
    • People with long-term health conditions such as, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, chronic respiratory disease, weakened immune systems, and neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions
  • Seek medical attention if you develop a fever accompanied with cough and/or sore throat, diarrhea, and/or vomiting within several days after visiting the fair.

Following these tips will help prevent infections.  Have fun!

 Resources

Center for Disease Control Food Safety at Fairs and Festivals

KNOW How to be Safe Around Animals

Take Action to Prevent the Spread of Flu Between Pigs and People

Wash Your Hands