County shares safety tips for the California Mid-State Fair

– As summer heats up and the California Mid-State Fair kicks off in Paso Robles, officials from the fair and the SLO County Public Health Department are urging attendees to follow simple precautions to ensure a healthy and safe experience:

• Keep cool. Take breaks in the shade. If you are not accustomed to the heat, take advantage of cooler evening hours. Learn more about avoiding heat-related illness.
• Stay hydrated. You can bring empty plastic water bottles or two sealed plastic bottles of water to the fair. Refill stations are located at the Main Quad and by the Cal Fire building.
• Stay COVID safe. The virus is trending upward in SLO County. Vaccines are widely available and well-fitted N95 or KN95 masks provide good protection for those who are serious about avoiding infection but want to attend an event with large numbers of people.
• Keep your hands clean. Wash your hands often at the handwashing stations throughout the fairgrounds, especially after visiting animal areas and before you eat or drink.

Animal exhibits are a favorite for many visitors at the fair, but it’s important to know that livestock and other farm animals naturally carry germs that can make people sick. By following a few simple steps, you can help prevent animal germs from spreading and making you or your family sick:

• Do not eat, drink, or put anything in your mouth while in animal display areas. If you are looking after animals, leave the area and wash your hands before eating or drinking.
• Keep all toys, pacifiers, cups, baby bottles, and strollers out of animal exhibits. Do not touch these items again until you have washed your hands with soap and water.
• Keep an eye on young children while in animal exhibit areas and keep them from putting their fingers or anything else in their mouths.
• Wash hands with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds as soon as possible after being in animal areas, even if you did not touch any animals.

If you develop any illness after visiting animal exhibits at the fair, including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain, see a healthcare provider and let them know you recently visited farm animals.

For more information, see Tips for Staying Healthy at Animal Exhibits from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health’s Take Care at the Fair tips.