Ticks and mosquitoes may await the pandemic-weary seeking outdoor exercise

Pandemic-weary Americans have begun walking and hiking in recent months to get out of the house while avoiding infection with the novel coronavirus. At the same time, resource-strapped local health departments have been forced to divert money and people to covid-related activities, unwillingly creating openings for outside exercisers to get sick in other ways.

Although woods and trails provide some distance from people, they are home to other dangers — such as ticks that carry bacteria-causing Lyme disease or mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus — especially now, when bugs are proliferating. These and other insects can pass along potentially serious diseases with a single bite.

Health departments have been spending their budgets and deploying personnel on covid-19 efforts, which hurts their ability to focus on programs that control mosquitoes and ticks, says Chelsea Gridley-Smith, director of environmental health for the National Association of County and City Health Officials.


Continue reading the article by The Washington Post's Marlene Cimons here.

미디어 언급

Sawyer’s picaridin lotion lasts a long time, stores well in survival kits and cars, and doesn’t have the laundry-list poison control label like DEET sprays.

Sean Gold
Founder & Lead Writer

미디어 언급

Secure a small loop of cord to a trekking pole to create a convenient place to hang a water bladder and filter water.

Nathan Pipenberg
작가

미디어 언급

It contains 20 percent picaridin, a powerful insect repellent that will make nights around the campfire much more enjoyable.

Liz Provencher
Freelane Writer