Governor Cuomo recently release a new plan on dealing with New York State's growing tick population as it pertains to Lyme Disease.  According to Cumo's Office, the Department of Health, Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will work together to target public lands and counties which offer the highest risk of tick-born diseases. Those places are the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, and the Southern Tier where tick populations seem to be worst.

The strategy is to apply eco-friendly tick control treatments in those high Lyme Disease risk areas along with "tickicide" deer treatment feeding stations, help prevent the spreading of the tick population by deer.  In addition, rodents, which also attract ticks, will be exposed to a "Tick Control System".

Tick-borne diseases, in particular Lyme disease, are some of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the United States and can be hard to diagnose.  That's why it is so important for people who spend any time outdoors to follow these tick-born disease prevention tips from New York State's Health Department:

  • While hiking, working, or spending time in wooded areas: wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts to protect against ticks other biting insects
  • Check for ticks every two to three hours while outdoors and brush off any ticks before they attach.
  • Perform a full body check multiple times during the day, as well as at the end of the day to ensure that no ticks are attached.
  • Consider use of repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or IR3535, following label instructions

CLICK HERE to get more information on tick-borne diseases and prevention.

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