The warmer months are great for spending time outdoors, but they are also breeding grounds for bugs that like to bite. While most bug bites are nothing more than annoying, some can be dangerous and have the potential to spread diseases like Zika virus, West Nile virus, Lyme disease and more.
To help prevent bug bites, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following tips:
1. Use registered insect repellent. When spending time outdoors, apply an insect repellent that has been registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for people who are pregnant and breastfeeding. When choosing a repellent, look for one with one of the following active ingredients:
● 2-undecanone
2. Apply correctly. Do not spray insect repellent near your eyes or mouth.
3. Use sparingly with children. Do NOT use insect repellent on babies younger than two months of age. Instead, protect babies by placing a mosquito net around their infant seat. For children, follow directions on the insect repellent label. Do not use more than 30 percent DEET on a child. Do NOT use insect repellent with lemon eucalyptus on children under the age of 3.
4. Use separate sunscreen and insect repellent products. If you are also wearing sunscreen, apply the sunscreen first, let dry, then apply insect repellent. Reapply sunscreen as necessary. Only reapply repellent as directed by the instructions on the repellent bottle.
5. Wear appropriate clothing. If you know you’re going to be in a wooded area or out at night, cover as much exposed skin as possible with loose-fitting clothing. Long sleeved shirts, long pants, socks and closed-toed shoes can help stop ticks and mosquitoes from biting.
7. Avoid brushy areas and woods. Ticks and mosquitoes prefer moist, humid environments near grassy, brushy and wooded areas. Avoiding these areas will help reduce contact with ticks and mosquitoes.
8. Control mosquitoes in and around your home. Use air conditioners and screens to keep mosquitoes outside of your home. Empty standing water to stop mosquitoes from laying eggs in or near water. Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out any items that hold water like tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flower pot saucers, or trash containers.
9. Use mosquito nets. If you plan to sleep outdoors, use mosquito nets to protect against bites overnight. Look for one that has been pre-treated with pyrethroid insecticide.
10. Pay attention to outbreaks. When traveling, check the CDC Travel Health Notices website and follow recommendations.
Despite our best efforts, bug bites still happen. Ice packs, over-the-counter painkillers and over-the-counter anti-itch creams like hydrocortisone help soothe most bug bite symptoms.
If you experience any serious symptoms after a bug bite, such as a rash, fever, or body aches, see your doctor immediately. Make sure you tell the doctor about your recent bite so that they can examine you for a transmitted disease.
