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The Straight Story

(48,121 posts)
Fri Feb 8, 2013, 05:26 PM Feb 2013

Australian Kids Face Birthday Candle Ban to Prevent Spreading Germs

Australian children are to be banned from blowing out candles on birthday cakes under new hygiene regulations that have been slammed by the Australian Medical Association as “bubble-wrapping.”

According to Australia’s Daily Telegraph, the guidelines, set by Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), instruct daycare centers to provide birthday boys and girls with their own individual cupcakes to blow the candles out, to avoid the spread of germs.

“Children love to blow out their candles while their friends are singing ‘Happy birthday,’” the document states. “To prevent the spread of germs when the child blows out the candles, parents should either provide a separate cupcake, with a candle if they wish, for the birthday child and enough cupcakes for all the other children.”

Daycare staff should also be required to clean toys, doorknobs, floors and cushion covers with germ-killing disinfectant on a daily basis, while youngsters must wash their hands with alcohol-based sanitizer before and after playing in sandpits, says the NHMRC.

http://world.time.com/2013/02/07/australian-kids-face-birthday-candle-ban-to-prevent-spreading-germs/#ixzz2KLShOOV0

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