Farm visits 

Visiting a farm is an enjoyable and educational experience for many people, particularly children. However, visiting a farm carries a small risk of catching infection from animals or the environment. Farm animals can be the source of several bugs that can be passed from animals to humans and cause illness. Some can be particularly serious for children or pregnant women.

These bugs may not cause animals to be visibly ill so it’s difficult to tell whether an animal is infected, especially when they look clean and healthy. Infection can be picked up from the animal’s body, its faeces (poo) or from areas where animals have recently been. If the bugs are on your hands, you could accidentally pass them to your mouth. You can’t see the germs, so your hands may appear clean. 

Washing your hands thoroughly with soap and hot running water immediately after you have had contact with animals will reduce the risk of infection. Hand gels or wipes are not a substitute for washing your hands with soap and hot running water.

Advice for Farm visits

People can follow simple hygiene steps to help reduce their risk.

On farm visits you must:

• avoid touching faces or putting fingers in mouths while in farm environments
• don’t kiss farm animals or allow children to put their faces close to animals
• wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after touching animals, fences or other surfaces in animal areas
• don’t eat or drink while touching animals or walking round the farm and only eat and drink in picnic areas or cafes
• wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before eating or drinking
• remove and clean boots or shoes that might have become soiled and clean pushchair wheels then wash hands thoroughly with soap and water
• don’t use gels or wipes instead of washing hands with soap and water – gels and wipes don’t remove E. coli O157
• supervise children closely to make sure they wash their hands thoroughly

Further information can be found in the guidance:: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC): symptoms, how to avoid, how to treat

Guidance 

•  Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC): symptoms, how to avoid, how to treat .(Updated 20 December 2017).
• Avoiding infection on farm visits – Advice for the public – GOV.UK ( February 2019)

Resources: 

UKHSA has produced videos for use on social media to explain the risks. These are available on our shared drive – please email [email protected] if you are experiencing difficulties accessing these files.