Scared of Swine Flu this Halloween?

Is trick-or-treating dangerous because of the H1N1 flu?

The flu still shows no sigs of slowing down and with Halloween knocking on the door, many parents are fretting over whether to keep their kids at home.

While communal candy bowls and crowds at parties can contribute to spreading the flu, doctors say that taking some precautions should help you and your kids stay safe.

Alice Garcia, a District Nurse for the Las Virgenes Unified School District reminds people to “not let sick kids pass out candy” and notes that while wrapped candy will be fine itself, the wrappers themselves can transfer germs.

Here are some other good, basic hygiene tips:

– If your kid is sick, it’s best to keep him or her at home.

– Kids should stay away from uncovered food. They could be handed out individual bags containing goodies, instead of them trying to fish into common bowls. This will lower the risk of the virus on an affected kid’s hand spreading to others who reach into the same bowls.

– Children should to use hand sanitizers or wash their hands thoroughly before eating.

– If you’re sick, don’t hand out candy. Leave it on the doorstep instead.

Dr. Bonnie Henry advises parents to be a bit more cautious when shopping for Halloween costumes for kids. Since masks are popular costumes during Halloween, there could a possibility that a kid affected by the flu may have tried it before. She says it’s better for parents to check the fit of the mask and clean it with a sanitizing cloth, before giving it to the kids.

One good thing about Halloween is that it’s largely outside and kids are more protected as the virus cannot survive too long outside.

A proper sense of hygiene is always important, more so during Halloween with the H1N1 flu still spreading. However, with precautionary measures, kids should get out there and enjoy Halloween.