Kisses Cause the Flu at Wacken Open Air Festival

Kissing may not cause pregnancy, but it sure can generate a slew of other medical conditions for you to contract. According to Yahoo News, a kiss warning has been issued over in Germany at one of the world’s premiere rock festivals. On Thursday officials asked attendees to avoid “hugging, kissing on the cheek, and shaking hands” with their fellow fans. It turns out there’s been an outbreak of that damn influenza bug again!

For fear of spreading the H1N1 influenza virus, the health ministry of Germany’s northern Schleswig-Holstein region announced on their website that concert goers should avoid such contact inducing social behavior. The festival in question is the Wacken Open Air Festival, which runs until this Saturday. Some of the artists expected to perform are Motorhead, Anthrax and Napalm Death.

If the “no touching” advisory weren’t enough, they are also asking patrons not to share beer with one another. That’s right, no kissing, hugging, and if you don’t have your own bottle, you shouldn’t share your alcohol either! What if you forget to bring your own, or you don’t have extra money to buy any beer? Aren’t there certain bands you can only listen to while slightly buzzed? What’s in the water over there? Concerts in general are free game when it comes to germs, but this is a bit much.

Do you think the health officials are being too invasive? Do you think they’re taking this flu warning too far?