Protect Yourself, Family from Tick Bites: Rockland Health Department

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Spending more time outside? Remember to protect yourself and loved ones from tick bites, Rockland County health officials say.

A bite from an infected tick can cause Lyme Disease and other diseases such as Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis, and Powassan.

The risk of encountering an infected tick — either nymph or adult —in the Hudson Valley region is high, as shown by these maps from the state health department website.

According to a USA TODAY Network analysis, 69 visits for tick bites per 100,000 Emergency Room visits were reported in the Northeast in March, The Democrat and Chronicle reported — a significant increase from the average of about 43 tick bites per 100,000 visits during the prior seven Marches.

“Ticks, like many of us, become more active during warmer weather. Ticks that carry Lyme disease continue to be found in Rockland; therefore, we advise residents to follow these precautions for an enjoyable and healthy season,” said Dr. Chitra Punjabi, Rockland County Department of Health Director of TB & Communicable Disease Control.

Rockland health officials offered these five tips:

• Avoid contact with ticks – 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 stone walls.
• Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors. Brush any ticks off before they attach. Do a complete check of your skin when you go back inside. Be sure to check for ticks on your children and pets, too! It is easy to check when you bathe or shower, preferably within two hours, to wash off and more easily 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) and remove ticks promptly.
• Remove any attached ticks using this safe method: 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. To lessen your chance of infection, remove an attached tick as soon as possible.
• Wear light-colored clothing to spot ticks easily. 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.

If you develop a rash or flu-like symptoms after a tick bite, contact your health care provider immediately to discuss any treatment and further prevention options, Rockland health officials said.

For more information visit these webpages: Rockland County Department of Health and New York State Department of Health.

SEE ALSO:

• Tis The Season: 'Multiple Diseases From A Single Tick Bite'
• Tick-Borne Babesiosis On The Rise: What To Know In The Hudson Valley