Going to the state fair this year? I’ve been to the Iowa State fair twice this past week. Probably going for a third time to see one of the classic rocks bands 
from the 70s they always have on the last day.
One thing I always do is go over to the livestock barns and wander the rows of cows, pigs, sheep and the huge Belgian draft horses.
This year however, a public health warning accompanies the livestock exhibits. USA Today and other media reported that a new strain of swine flu has been found at various state fairs this summer. A total of 13 cases of swine flu was reported in all of last year. This year, nearly 170 so far. Most of those cases were from state fairs in Ohio and Indiana.
The take away from this is: wash or sanitize hands regularly during and after your state fair visit. The swine flu strain can be sporadically transmitted from animals to humans. Eating pork, on the other hand, is NOT a method of transmitting swine flu. No need to quit eating your grinder or pulled pork sandwich. Just cook pork thoroughly, as you always would.
