Visiting open farms or other animal attractions
As the weather is getting warmer, schools and education settings may be planning visits to open farms or animal attractions, which are great fun and educational. However, you should be aware of the small risk of catching an infection from animals or the environment during these visits. Infections that farm animals can pass to humans, such as E. coli O157 or cryptosporidium parvum, can cause very serious illness, particularly in children, pregnant women, the elderly and anyone who has a weakened immune system.
You should ensure that the pre-visit risk assessment includes consideration of steps to reduce the risk of these infections. There is practical advice available for teachers and others who organise visits for children.
It is especially important for everyone to wash their hands with soap and water after touching animals, contaminated surfaces such as footwear and equipment, and before eating or drinking. Hand sanitiser is not a substitute.
You can view the UK Health Security Agency’s videos on this topic on Facebook, Instagram or X.
Ticks
Ticks can be active all year round, but they are most active in the months April to July, and sometimes later in the autumn. Ticks can carry infections, including Lyme disease and rarely tick-borne encephalitis. On average, 4% of ticks are infected in England and Wales, though this can fluctuate in different areas and across years.
People are reminded to be “tick aware” while enjoy the great outdoors at any time of the year – learn how to avoid tick bites, how to safely remove ticks, what symptoms to look out for, and when to seek medical assistance.
You can read the UK Health Security Agency’s blog post, refer to the resources on gov.uk, or watch their video.