Livingston Township: Mosquito And Tick Prevention

Press release from the Livingston Township:

July 27, 2023

Now that summer fun is in full swing, don’t forget to protect your family against mosquitoes and ticks. Both can carry harmful diseases, so it is important to take the necessary steps to stay safe.

Use Insect Repellent

One of the easiest ways to protect against mosquitoes and ticks is to use insect repellent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommends using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients:

• DEET
• Picaridin (known as KBR 3023 and icaridin outside the US)
• IR3535
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
• Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone

Visit epa.gov/insect-repellents for a list of registered repellents. Always read and follow the product label instructions before using any insect repellent, and check with a healthcare provider if you have any concerns. If also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.

When using insect repellent on a child:

• Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) on children under 3 years old.
• Do not apply insect repellent to a child’s hands, eyes, mouth, cuts, or irritated skin.
• Adults: Spray insect repellent onto hands and then apply to a child’s face.

Reduce Outdoor Water

Mosquitoes need water to complete their lifecycle. The following list identifies areas of concern and actions which may be taken to reduce or eliminate water-holding containers and inhibit areas of free-standing, stagnant, and/or still water sites on residential properties.

• Containers: Empty or dispose of potential water-holding containers
  1. Examples: cans, plastic containers, bottle caps, ceramic pots, buckets, garbage receptacles.
• Garbage cans: Keep lids firmly sealed.
• Bird baths: Change water frequently
• Baby pools: Completely empty after each use and after rainfall
• Pool covers: Remove any stagnant water that has collected
• Swimming pools: Ensure routine maintenance
• Tarps: Do not allow water to collect
• Roof gutters: Clean regularly
• Lawns: Do not over water
• Windows and doors: Ensure that all have screens installed

Check For Ticks

It is important to check for ticks when coming inside after being outdoors, especially after being in grassy or wooded areas.

• Check clothing. Ticks may be carried into the house on clothing. Remove any ticks that are found. Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after coming indoors. If the clothes require washing first, hot water is recommended. Cold and medium temperature water will not kill ticks.
• Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets and attach to a person later; carefully examine pets, coats, and daypacks.
• Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce the risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check.
• Check for ticks after being outdoors. Conduct a full body check by using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all these body parts for ticks:
  1. Under the arms
  2. In and around the ears
  3. Inside belly button
  4. Back of the knees
  5. In and around the hair
  6. Between the legs
  7. Around the waist

Tick Removal

When finding a tick attached to the skin, remove the tick as soon as possible. There are several tick-removal devices on the market, but a plain set of fine-tipped tweezers works very well.

• Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
• Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If the mouth cannot easily be removed with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
• After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
• Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by
  1. Putting it in alcohol,
  2. Placing it in a sealed bag/container,
  3. Wrapping it tightly in tape, or
  4. Flushing it down the toilet.

If a rash or fever develops within several weeks of removing a tick, see a doctor:

• Tell the doctor about the recent tick bite,
• When the bite occurred, and
• Where the tick was most likely acquired.

For more information about mosquitoes and ticks visit cdc.gov/fight-the-bite/index.html. For information about mosquitoes and ticks in New Jersey visit nj.gov/health/cd/topics/vectorborne.shtml.

More information is also available on the Livingston Health Department's website.

This press release was produced by the Livingston Township. The views expressed here are the author’s own.