NEW YORK, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- State fairs and agricultural exhibits across the United States are taking precautions to guard prize pigs from people carrying swine flu, observers say.
At the upcoming Oregon State Fair, for example, new, elaborate barriers will be in place and taller fences are being employed in the pigpens while the state veterinarian is recommending people stay at least 6 feet from the animals, The New York Times reported.
The newspaper said officials have warned people visiting the pig barns at the North Carolina State Fair to wash their hands upon entering and leaving the facilities, while in Iowa, state fair visitors will not be allowed to hold piglets.
The H1N1 virus, which has caused worldwide fears since an outbreak started in Mexico this spring, has not been found in pigs in the United States, experts say, and is not believed to be particularly deadly to them.
But pigs can act as "mixing vessels" for viruses passed to them from humans, and scientists contend it's best to try to keep H1N1 from spreading among pigs, where the flu strain could mutate into something more dangerous, the Times reported.
