Virginia Department of Health Shares Tips for Tick Safety
Stay safe this tick season with prevention and education.
Bites from ticks can be both irritating and harmful to your health. These arachnids can spread diseases that affect humans. Luckily, the Chesterfield Health District has several ways to protect yourself and prevent tick bites.
• When outdoors, use insect repellent containing either DEET, picaridin, or lemon eucalyptus. Always follow instructions on the product label.
• Blacklegged ticks and Lone Star ticks carry diseases in Virginia. They live in the forest leaf litter or in shaded, grassy areas. Ticks do not climb high on vegetation, so they must hitch a ride by first climbing up your shoes or socks. So, tuck your pants legs into your socks to help prevent ticks from climbing up your bare leg under your pants.
• Check clothing after spending time in tick habitats. Tumble dry clothing on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any remaining ticks.
• Use a mirror, friend, partner, or spouse to help check your body for ticks. Remember to check in armpits, groin area, ears, hairline, belly button, knees, and legs.
Remember to inspect children, gear, and pets for ticks as well.
“We walked down to the river and wandered off the trail to find a good fishing spot,” Springfield-resident Kelly Smith said. “Once we got back to the house, my son felt a tick crawling on his back and told me. I sealed it in a plastic bag. Then I visited the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) website for more information.” Smith was visiting family in Chesterfield County.
Ticks are tiny and hard to spot, but they can cause serious medical problems. Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesiosis, and Alpha-gal come from ticks.
The VDH website lists tick prevention, removal, an identification chart, and disease information. You can also submit a tick or a photo of one for tracking purposes.
Luckily, the tick did not bite the boy. Bookmark this valuable tick resource for when you need it. Visit ChesterfieldVa.health for more information.