Clean your hands on family days out
Date published:
Open farms and swimming pools
Open farms and swimming pools can be great days out for all the family. But it’s important to practise good personal hygiene when visiting these places.
All animals naturally carry a range of organisms, some of which can be spread to children and adults. These can potentially cause severe infection, particularly in young children.
For example, cryptosporidium and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) cause infection.
Symptoms include:
- vomiting
- abdominal cramps
- watery diarrhoea
Cryptosporidium can also be found in water bodies, including swimming pools.
Simple steps to follow
To reduce the risk of illness, all adults and children should follow some simple steps to make sure it's a fun day out.
Advice for swimmers:
- don't swim when you have diarrhoea or have had diarrhoea within the past 48 hours
- don't swim for 14 days after being diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis
- take a shower before swimming
- wash your hands after using the toilet or changing nappies
- make sure that babies and children wear purpose-made swimming nappies and take your child on bathroom breaks
- do not swallow water
Advice for visits to the farm:
- wash hands thoroughly using soap and water (and dry thoroughly) after handling animals or touching surfaces at the farm
- hands should always be washed:
- before eating or drinking
and - after using the toilet
- before eating or drinking
You can find out more on the following page:
Antibacterial hand gels and wipes are not a substitute for washing hands as they may not remove germs and bugs in the way that running water can.
However, using such gels after hand washing with soap and water may reduce the risk of picking up infections.
Always supervise children’s personal hygiene to make sure it is carried out properly.