IPSWICH — Town of Ipswich reminds residents of important safety tips to avoid mosquito and tick bites.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, mosquito bites in the state typically result in skin irritation and itching. However, serious viruses including West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) also are spread by mosquitoes in rare instances.
Residents are reminded that the risk of tick exposure is higher during warmer months, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Director of Public Health Colleen Fermon would like to share the following tips from the CDC to limit exposure tick and mosquito bites:
• Utilize insect repellents that are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and have one of the following active ingredients: DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone.
• Reapply insect repellent as directed and follow instructions outlined on the label of the product you are using.
• Apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.
• Do not apply insect repellent on the skin beneath clothing.
• Consider buying permethrin-treated clothing and gear or using permethrin to treat your clothing and gear.
• Wear long sleeved shirts and pants.
Parents, guardians and caregivers of babies and children are advised:
• Dress children in long layers to cover their arms and legs.
• Use mosquito netting to cover strollers and baby carriers outdoors.
• Remember, when using insect repellent on a child, follow instructions on the label and never use products that contain oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol on children under 3 years old.
• NEVER apply insect repellent on a child’s hands, eyes, mouth, cuts, or irritated skin.
• To apply insect repellent to a child’s face, carefully spray it onto your hands and apply it to the skin.
Residents are reminded to take necessary precautions when outdoors this summer and to stay vigilant against any kind of bug bite. If you or a family member are concerned about a mosquito or tick bite do not hesitate to contact your health-care provider.
The Ipswich Department of Public Health would also like to share the following CDC tips for tick bite prevention:
• Know where you may come into contact with ticks so that you can be vigilant and check your skin afterward. Ticks live in grassy, bushy, or wooded areas and can also be found on animals. You can get a tick walking your dog, camping, gardening, hunting, in your neighborhood, or in your backyard.
• Walk in the center of trails where possible and avoid wooded areas with high grass and litter.
• Check your clothing and skin for ticks after being outside. When checking your body, be sure to look for ticks in the following areas:
• Under the arms
• In and around the ears
• Inside the belly button
• Back of the knees
• In and around hair
• Between the legs
• Around the waist
• To kill ticks that may be on clothing, tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes. If the clothes need to be washed first, it is recommended they be washed with hot water.
• After being outdoors, examine gear and pets for ticks.
• Residents are advised to shower within two hours of being outdoors.
For more tick bite prevention tips from the CDC, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/on_people.html
For more mosquito bite prevention tips, visit:
https://www.cdc.gov/zika/prevention/prevent-mosquito-bites.html
