DisneyParks steps up efforts to prevent H1N1

In a new post of the official Disney Parks blog, Disney's social media director Thomas Smith highlighted some of the efforts Disney is undertaking to help prevent the spread of the 2009 Novel H1N1 virus.

Just like you, Disney Parks is working hard to make guests and cast members aware of steps that they can take to prevent the spread of the flu. It’s just part of our ongoing commitment to our Guests’ health and safety.

"A Disney Parks’ team has been monitoring the developments regarding the spread of the H1N1 flu. The team has long-standing relationships with local health officials and we’ve continued to use their guidance to evaluate and, if appropriate, adjust our operations," said Thomas.

In addition to Disney's intense cleaning effort (the park already is spotless), Disney is installing hand sanitizers in high-traffic areas, such as park entrances, hotel lobbies and character “meet-and-greet” locations. "Our parks have already implemented more frequent cleaning of “high-touch” surfaces such as drinking fountains and telephones," Thomas said.

Thomas also said that measures recommended by the CDC to prevent the spread of flu will be included in event guide brochures.

My take:
Being the world's number one vacation destination, Walt Disney World sees a LOT of visitors each day. This means there is a higher opportunity for viruses to spread. That being said, anyone visiting Walt Disney World should not be overly concerned about H1N1.

Just follow good hygiene habits we all learned in school (washing hands often, sneezing into a tissue, not touching eyes/nose often), and you'll greatly reduce your chances of catching the virus.

Get more tips on how to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.