—ALERT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee is home to over 50 state parks and three National Parks, giving Tennesseans many opportunities to enjoy the beauty our state has to offer. It is important to protect yourself from ticks and mosquitoes whether you are camping, swimming, hiking, fishing, golfing, or enjoying another outdoor activity.
‘’Staying active and enjoying time with family and friends is part of summertime fun in Tennessee. Be sure to use insect repellant and take other steps to avoid tick and mosquito bites,’’ said Tennessee Health Commissioner John Dunn, DVM, PhD, EMBA. ‘’Diseases like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and West Nile Virus infection occur every year in Tennessee. Take simple precautions to help reduce the risks of tick and mosquito-borne illnesses.’’
Fortunately, most tick or mosquito bites will only cause local skin irritation. However, mild, flulike symptoms occur in some people and, other can have a serious illness or death in rare cases. For some tick and mosquito-borne diseases there are no vaccines or specific treatments, so prevention is always important.
To avoid mosquito and tick bites:
• Use insect repellants Containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-methane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone on your skin, following all label recommendations for use. Do not use products containing OLE or PMD on children under 3 years old. Never apply any of these products around the mouth or eyes at any age. Consult your health care provider if you have questions.
• Reduce mosquito populations around your home. Mosquitoes can breed in any place that holds water, including clogged drains or gutters, watering cans and empty bottles.
• Use products containing permethrin, a highly effective insecticide, for clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear. Permethrin-treated clothing kills ticks, mosquitoes and other pests and retains this effect after repeated laundering. Some commercial products are available pretreated with permethrin. As a caution, however, it is not to be used directly on skin.
• Wear ’long, loose and light’ clothing to help prevent bites through fabric. It’s best to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants. Light-colored clothes are less attractive to many insects and may allow you to spot them more easily.
For more information on tick and mosquito bite protection go to
www.tn.gov/health/cedep/vector-borne-diseases/tick-borne-diseases.html (https://t.e2ma.net/click/fscqbk/j3zucl6b/fkmwkqb)
or
https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/vector-borne-diseases/mosquito-borne-diseases.html. (https://t.e2ma.net/click/fscqbk/j3zucl6b/vcnwkqb)
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This news release can be accessed online here:
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