(Spencer)– While the Clay County Fair powered by SMU is always a lot of fun and entertaining, it can also be a good place to pick up germs that could make you sick. Collette Rossiter, Director of Clay County Public Health, says there are several precautions to keep in mind when you’re at the fair, especially if you have young kids with you. Just like at home, she says hand washing is extremely important…
“Thoroughly wash and dry everyone’s hands after petting the animals and before eating. Grandpa’s Barn has three sinks in the building for washing with soap and water and they also have a hand washing station outside. Even if you don’t pet the animals or interact with them, germs can still be spread from the surfaces around the exhibit. So it’s still important to wash those hands. And if you’re still looking for sinks, in addition to Grandpa’s Barn there’s of course all the public restrooms have sinks and the fair has a lot of hand washing stations and hand sanitizer throughout the fairgrounds.”
Rossiter also offers this advice:…
“It’s a good idea to leave the strollers, toys, pacifiers, cups, anything like that, out of the animal exhibit area. Again, it might be easier said than done but if you do wander through those livestock barns or Grandpa’s Barn, know that the animal waste might go home with you.”
Once you are home, Rossiter says it would be a good idea to clean off the wheels of carriages and strollers. She adds they’ll have some free sunscreen available at the fair as well this year…
“You know it’s always important to protect your skin from sun damage and the risk of skin cancer later in life. It doesn’t really matter what the weather’s like. It can be overcast, you can still burn. So one fact that isn’t so great is that one blistering sunburn in childhood more than doubles your chances of developing a melanoma which is that deadliest form of cancer, later in life. So we will have free sunscreen available just outside of Grandpa’s Barn. You can get your sunscreen on, you can go wash your hands, and it’s just inside the main doors of the Events Center, too.”
Rossiter says that’s being made possible through a partnership with the Iowa Cancer Consortium.
