When one of our truuMOMs fessed up to taking her sick son to sit on an unsuspecting Santa's lap, I couldn't resist "responding" to this by sharing this guest post from Michelle & Lexi from Parents Ask and The Ruby Slipper Guide.
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Forget "You better not shout, you better not cry." This year, the lyrics to 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town' should include "You better not sneeze, you better not cough." With increasing fears over the H1N1 flu and the lack of vaccine available, more and more people are becoming concerned when it comes to large crowds. It's not a surprise that your local mall Santa wants to be included in that highly coveted priority grouping of individuals eligible to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine. With hundreds, if not thousands, of kids parading through their makeshift workshops, you can't blame the jolly old fat man in the red suit if he seems less jolly and more leery towards your children this year.
As most people know, the H1N1 flu has become more widespread than the seasonal flu at this time. Millions of people have been stricken with the H1N1 flu virus and the vaccine has been hard to come by. Priority groups, like pregnant women, those with health problems, and young children, are still moving to the head of the line when the H1N1 flu vaccine is in stock. Now, the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas wants to be included in that high-risk group.
It makes sense when you think about it. These Santas are situated in crowded malls and kids traipse through to see him day in and day out. Kids are germy as is, that's a fact you can't dispute. Factor in the H1N1 flu fears, however, which is also highly contagious, and you can see why the mall Santas may not be really excited to welcome your coughing kiddo onto his lap.
Santas are naturally requesting that if your child is sick that you keep him or her at home. One Santa relayed to MSNBC that he had a visit from one little boy who was too sick to go to school, but his mother brought him to see Santa anyway. In an effort to keep healthy, Santas are being urged to use hand sanitizer and take daily vitamins to help boost their immune systems.
Common sense should prevail this holiday season. Sure, kids like to visit with Santa and spill their wish list to him, but if your child is visibly ill, he should not be making a trip to the mall. Don't be surprised if Santa has changed the rules of the game this year, too. You may find that Santa isn't offering his lap as a comfy seat but instead is having kids stand a foot or two away. Be aware of those around you in line as well. If you notice coughin or sneezing children nearby, you might want to break out your own hand sanitizer.
Remember, 'tis the season to spead joy, not germs!
Are you taking your kids to see Santa Claus this year? Do you think mall Santas deserve to get the H1N1 flu vaccine in the priority grouping?
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