Protect Yourself from Tick Bites this Fall!

NEW CITY, NY, - The Rockland County Department of Health reminds residents to protect themselves, their children, and their pets from tick bites, especially when hiking, hunting, fishing, raking leaves, or taking part in other outdoor activities this fall. A bite from an infected black-legged tick, also known as a deer tick, can cause Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, such as babesiosis.

Tick bites are still a risk in the fall months since ticks can stay active until the temperature falls below freezing or the ground is completely covered in snow. Deer ticks are usually found in shady, moist areas at ground level, such as in lawns and gardens, especially at the edges of woods and around old stone walls. They cling to tall grass, brush, and shrubs, usually no more than 18-24 inches off the ground. In the fall, ticks also hide under leaves in backyards and parks. Deer ticks cannot jump or fly; they get on humans and animals only by direct contact.

Follow these tips to help protect against tick bites and tick-borne disease:

• Dress in clothes that protect. Wear light-colored clothing, such as white or pastels. Wear a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, socks, and shoes. Tuck your shirt into your pants and pant-legs into your socks. Wear sneakers or boots, not sandals. Tie back long hair or wear a hat.
• Consider the use of an insect repellent. Carefully read and follow the directions on the repellent label. Some products should be used only on clothing, never on the skin. Talk to your child's doctor about using repellent on your children. Never let children put repellent on themselves.
• Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails, walk in the center of trails, avoid dense woods and bushy areas, and avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls.
• Check your skin for ticks daily. When outside, check your skin and clothing frequently for ticks. Check often when in grassy or wooded areas. Brush any ticks off before they attach. Do a complete check of your skin when you go back inside. Common areas on the body to check for ticks are the thighs, groin, trunk, and armpits. Bathe or shower as soon as possible after going indoors (best within two hours) to wash off and find ticks that may be on you. Do a final, full-body tick check at the end of the day (also check children and pets).
• Remove ticks quickly and safely. To lessen your chance of infection, remove an attached tick as soon as possible using fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick near the mouthparts as close to the skin as possible. Do not twist, turn, or squeeze the tick's body. Instead, pull the tick in a steady, upward motion away from the skin until the tick lets go. After removing the tick, clean the bite area and your hands very well with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. For tick identification, call the Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticultural Lab at (845) 429-7085.
• Learn the symptoms of Lyme disease. After a tick bite, watch for Lyme disease symptoms for at least 30 days. Symptoms can include tiredness, headache, stiff neck, slight fever, swollen glands, muscle or joint pain, and a red circular rash (called erythema migrans) that often appears at the site of the tick bite, usually within 3 to 14 days after the bite of an infected tick. The rash then grows larger. The center of the rash may clear as it enlarges, resulting in a "bull's-eye" appearance. Sometimes many rashes appear, varying in shape and size. Check with your health care provider to see if taking antibiotics within three days after a tick bite would be beneficial for you. If you develop a rash or flu-like symptoms, contact your health care provider immediately.

"After you spend time this fall enjoying the beautiful outdoors in Rockland County, it's important to do a full-body tick check on yourself, your children, and pets. Prevention remains the most effective method to protect yourself and your loved ones from getting tick-borne diseases" said County Executive Ed Day.

For more information, visit our Tick-borne Disease Education and Prevention Program and the New York State Department of Health website www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/lyme.

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