Posted on 09/08/2020 11:12:37 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A new version of this party foul-prevention tool may be particularly soothing during the novel coronavirus pandemic..
Just about everything has changed during the novel coronavirus pandemic, including the way that we celebrate birthdays.
Some have been lucky to host intimate celebrations outside in a back yard or an empty park, while others get together over Zoom, or make the best of a "drive-by" party.
But most parties aren't complete without a sweet birthday cake, singing and blowing out candles — all activities that pose some COVID-19 risk on their own — and one dentist in Florida has thought of a small solution to make birthdays a bit sweeter.
According to reports from NBC-affiliate 9News in Colorado, William Kay, DMD, a Boca Raton-based dentist who specializes in prosthetic dentistry, has created what he calls the Top It Cake Shield to help prevent germs and spit from potentially ending up on your party's dessert.
As a grandfather of four, Kay has previously stewed over the fact that invisible germs and respiratory droplets may end up collecting on a cake's icing after one blows out their birthday candles — and he's not the only one who has seemingly obsessed over this, either.
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Per the product's website, the Top It Cake Shield was initially inspired by research spearheaded by scientists at Clemson University's Department of Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences, directly analyzing how blowing out candles may contaminate desserts. The study in question found that blowing out candles on a cake resulted in "1400% more bacteria" found on these cakes' outer icing compared to those that were not blown on.
"The transfer of bacteria and other microorganisms from the respiratory tract of a person blowing out candles to food consumed by others is likely," the study's authors concluded.
top it cake shield how to shop Courtesy of Top It Cake Shield SHOP NOW Those who are self-proclaimed germaphobes may already be familiar with cake coverings — products have been popping up for years, including ideas on platforms like Indiegogo.
The Top It Cake Shield in particular is made from Food and Drug Administration-approved recycled polystyrene, according to its website, and it comes in three different sizes; a shield made for quarter-sheet cakes, another for round cakes up to 10 inches in diameter and a single birthday cake slice. The $15 cake covers ($5 for the slice cover) contain sides that overlay and snap together, sealing the cake inside — and birthday candles are inserted into the shields' top flat base, rather than into the cake itself.
It's important to note that officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintain that "foodborne exposure to the virus is not known to be a route of transmission," and that SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that leads to a COVID-19 diagnosis) is mainly spread by prolonged close contact.
A birthday party in itself might be decidedly more dangerous, as guests may be unknowingly sick and spreading germs to others — let alone the act of singing "Happy Birthday", which is also associated with more viral respiratory discharge, which is especially worrisome in indoor spaces.
If you're already planning a socially distanced birthday celebration, however, the Top It Cake Shield might provide you extra peace of mind if you don't want to skip a magical candle moment.
But remember, while the covering protects the cake, it will not protect people or other objects from being hit with potential germs, so it's best to maintain your distance when blowing out the candles (if you can do it outside while also distancing, that's even better).
The Top It Cake Shield is taking pre-orders now, and expects to mail its first shipments to customers in early October.
Or one could just use the other end to blow out the candles. Flare up should be much.
I meant shouldn’t.
How old am I??
I'd have to have the fire department on standby....
SO many people just go too far without even realizing it. We’re converting over to being hyper-germophobes.
The original was created by Adrian Monk for Captain Stottlemeier’s birthday party.
It’s really come to this? Scotty, beam me up!!!
I have thought about this long before COVID. I have passed on the cake at “office” gatherings.
then you got issues :-) unless you have a very debilitating illness. The debilitating illness sounds like germaphobia.
As for this pandemic, quite a pandemic.
what is it now September and I have 42 first cousins 20 aunts and uncles a bunch of friends and including all of the people they know, no one has had this horrifying virus that makes some of you shriek in terror.
that makes hundreds and hundreds of people and I live in ground zero New York City which terrifies most of you.
The average age of covid death out here I think is 107.
LOL
Maybe they just didn’t tell you who died?
Nah, they keep showing up for their birthday parties. ;-)
“We’re converting over to being hyper-germophobes”
Maybe... but since early teen-hood, I’ve never ate spewed upon birthday cake.
And if you’ve ever trekked long distances with me, you would know I’m definitely not afflicted with germophobia.
Do they come pre-inscribed with the message, “Happy Birthday Karen!”?
Sometimes I go to the funerals of various rapscallions I have known, just to make sure...
Could also put Christmas light candles on the cake and switch them off instead of blowing them out. /s
And with the impending helium shortage, we should go back to using hydrogen-filled balloons. Add an element of suspense to the birthday song / candle blowing ceremony.
Sick of these complete and total lefty surrender monkies.
Just wave a paper plate over the candles....that’s what we do!
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