LYME DISEASE IS GRADUALLY RISING ACROSS THE U.S.
THE ILLNESS IS SPREAD WHEN BACTERIA IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH A TICK BITE.
TIME SPENT OUTDOORS INCREASES THE CHANCES OF BEING BITTEN BY A TICK BUT CLEVELAND CLINIC’S DOCTOR ALAN TAEGE (TAY-GEE) SAYS THERE ARE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO REDUCE THAT RISK.
CG: Dr. Alan Taege /Cleveland Clinic “You can protect yourself. Use the insect repellent, particularly those with DEET, D-E-E-T, when you go out to work in your yard, camping, hiking, whatever you’re doing, put it on, because it can be very effective.” [:16]
IF YOU’RE GOING TO BE CAMPING, DOCTOR TAEGE SAYS YOU CAN ALSO USE AN ADDITIONAL CHEMICAL ON CLOTHING, TENTS AND CAMPING EQUIPMENT CALLED PERMETHRIN (PER-METH-ER-IN) TO KEEP TICKS AWAY.
ACCORDING TO DOCTOR TAEGE, IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO TUCK PANT LEGS INTO SOCKS OR BOOTS. THIS MAKES IT HARDER FOR TICKS TO GET ONTO YOUR SKIN.
HE ALSO RECOMMENDS WEARING LIGHT-COLORED CLOTHING. IT WILL BE EASIER TO SPOT AND SWAT A DARK-COLORED TICK ON A SLEEVE OR PANT LEG.
HE SAYS THE AVERAGE TICK HAS TO BE ATTACHED FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE IT CAN CAUSE ILLNESS. REMOVING THEM QUICK IS VITALLY IMPORTANT.
CG: Dr. Alan Taege /Cleveland Clinic “When you come in from any of those activities where you’ve exposed yourself to ticks you should do a tick check to try to be sure that you haven’t collected any of the little creatures on your body.” [:12]
[MEDIA: Pathfire#: 10808 “Preventing Lyme Disease” June 14, 2017 Sound Bites/VO]
