This includes hospital staff, visitors and patients. And it's not a laughing matter.
Allergic reactions can range from mild to severe, in some cases causing death.
Therefore, latex balloons are no longer permitted as patient gifts at The Finley Hospital. If you bring latex balloons into the hospital, staff will politely take them from you or remove them from floral bouquets. The ban is not meant to discourage well-wishers, but latex allergy is a serious health risk for three to six percent of the general population and 10 to 17 percent of health care workers. Latex balloons are dangerous because they contain large amounts of the allergen protein as well as powder which absorbs latex proteins. When a balloon is inflated, deflated, popped, or handled, the powder is free to contaminate the air.