Children trick-or-treat in Nappanee on Thursday. Doctors are urging parents to use extra caution when going door-to-door this year to avoid spreading the H1N1 virus. (WSBT Photo)
Story Created:
Oct 29, 2009 at 9:14 PM EST
Story Updated:
Oct 29, 2009 at 9:26 PM EST
NAPPANEE — A warning from local health experts about keeping your kids safe this Halloween: take extra precautions this year to help cut down on the risk of contracting the H1N1 flu.
With Halloween just over a day away, trick-or-treat events are already underway in communities across the area. But this year, those "treats" could come with an increased risk of the H1N1 Flu.
For 8-year-old Anthony Meadows and his twin sister Priscilla, it was the best night of the year, Thursday! Trick-or-treating kicked off a few days early in Nappanee, and there were plenty of "ghouls and goblins" taking full advantage.
But, for the Meadows, going door to door this year came with an added requirement from mom and dad: hand sanitizer.
"I always have it with me now," said mom Nikki Fox, pulling out a bottle of hand sanitizer from the baby stroller she was pushing. "We're washing our hands and using Lysol. [It's something we thought about before we went out today,] oh yeah."
"It's definitely in the back of our minds," added Eddie Benton next to her.
"The way it's going around the schools, I mean, it is [a concern]. At first it was really scary. It's still scary, even though it seems now like it's just another flu," Fox said.
They're not alone in taking extra steps to cut down on the risk of catching the rapidly spreading virus.
At Dean Bartley's house, "precaution" is the costume of choice this year.
"We're cleaning our hands all the time," he said. "And this year, we're just giving out regular candy that's packaged from companies. No homemade popcorn or apples or anything like that."
Doctors say there's a good reason for the extra concern.
"There are two primary ways this is spread: through droplets--particles that generally spread 3-6 feet. In trick or treating, you would get that close, and you could potentially be exposed that way," said Elkhart County Health Department Health Officer Dr. Daniel Nafziger.
"The second route is through contaminated surfaces. So, it would be possible for someone to contaminate a candy wrapper, and then for you to contaminate your hands, then touch your eyes or face and be infected that way," Nafziger continued.
That risk of contamination through candy is low, Nafziger added. But, with a virus spreading this rapidly, being extra cautious is a good idea.
"The biggest risk I see is that it's going to be hard to get sick kids to want to stay home. There will be lots of kids who are just getting sick or who are just getting over it who are going to want to trick-or-treat, because it's a once in a year opportunity," Nafziger said.
"So, if you're going to let your kids eat candy as they walk around in the dark, then hand sanitizer is a very good idea. But, I would recommend that they actually not consume those treats before you have a chance to look at them and make sure they're still wrapped and you can see what your kids have brought home" Nafziger continued.
Those tips go for candy givers too.
"If you've been sick, either you want to turn your light off and not give out candy this year, or you want to use hand sanitizer, soap and water religiously," Nafziger said.
Some other Indiana health departments are also suggesting that homeowners put candy in small plastic baggies or scoop individual candy directly into a child's trick-or-treat bag using a small plastic cup.
The less "direct contact," doctors say, the better.
It's advice Bartley plans to take.
"That's a great idea to use the cup," he said. "That's a very good idea."
It's all in the name of safety. Take a few extra precautions, and Nafziger says Halloween can still be very "scary" fun!
"Your kids can still go out and have a good time on Halloween," Nafziger said.
He also urges parents to continue those precautions even after trick-or-treating is over--things like washing your hands, covering your cough, staying home when you're sick, and getting an H1N1 vaccination.
Both the Elkhart County and St. Joseph County Health Departments have only received about half the doses of the vaccine they expected by the end of October, but both also expect new shipments to come in next week.
Both health departments plan on setting up vaccine clinics in local schools once they do.
