With the announcement of confirmed human cases of influenza following the Clinton County Fair H3N2 swine influenza discovery and H1N1 discovered in hogs at the Franklin County Fair, state leaders are reminding fairgoers and livestock exhibitors about commonsense ways to address and prevent the problem.
?We have had a few people get sick from the Clinton County Fair. Nobody was hospitalized, but there were certainly flu-like symptoms in about nine individuals that have been confirmed. It is something we need to take seriously and it can be prevented very easily with hand washing and moving our animals in and out in a three-day period. We just need to be proactive,? said Tony Forshey, Ohio?s State Veterinarian. ?We are reiterating the importance of hand washing stations, signs and keeping food out of the barn ? just common sense things that are good sanitation and good hygiene. This virus is pretty easily killed with heat and soap and water.
?It is critical that you get these pigs into the fairs ? particularly in the partial terminal shows ? and have those pigs on the fairgrounds no longer than 72 hours. If you have a breeding show get them in first. If you have an open class market show have it next, and have the junior market terminal shows last. Any time you?re over three days on the fairgrounds with those pigs you double your risk every day after that for having a disease outbreak. So get them in and get them out.?
Cooler, less humid conditions help too.
We have had a lot of hot humid weather and we can get such a viral load because the pigs are stressed in the heat and humidity,? Forshey said.
The Ohio State Fair has set an example over the years of taking precautions to ensure a healthy time for all involved, human and livestock alike. This has included properly marked hand sanitizer stations around the barn, reminders to visitors of the importance of well-cared for animals, and spaced out shows which allow animals to be in and out in a matter of days with minimal stress.
Fairs have a number of resources available to help get out accurate and informative reminders at pork.org/flu including fact sheets, biosecurity recommendations, and influenza surveillance tips.
The Ohio Pork Council has even taken the step to help county fairs out with providing hand sanitizer.
?If county fairs can show the Ohio Pork Council that they have taken the time to put up hand sanitizing stations, wash stations and signs reminding folks the best hygiene and practices to wash their hands before entering the building and not taking food in, we will provide reimbursement or two jugs of hand sanitizer for their county fair,? said Bryan Humphreys, executive vice president of the Ohio Pork Council. ?We just want to know that they are hanging signs and doing what needs to be done because that can prevent a lot of trouble for the animals and the people that we care about.?
