Tick Safety: Brought to You by Vermont Department of Health

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Spring is in full swing here in Vermont!  There is so much to enjoy outside in our beautiful state with our hiking trails, parks and our own back yards.  However, May is also historically a time when ticks are exceptionally abundant.  Spring tick activity is also associated with increased cases of Lyme disease. When spending time outdoors, make sure to do it responsibly using the Protect, Check, Remove, Watch System.

Protect: This includes avoiding the woody, brushy areas where ticks thrive, wearing appropriate repellants, and covering up to keep ticks off your body.

Check: Check your whole body for ticks, including using a mirror to look in hard to see places.  Showering soon after being outdoors to check for ticks more easily and wash off unattached ones is also recommended.  Also, don’t forget to check clothing, gear, and pets before coming inside.

Remove: Remove ticks as soon as you can using fine tipped tweezers and grasping them as close to the skin as possible. Click here for a demo video.  Other methods are not proven to work.

Watch: Watch for symptoms like fever, chills, rash, headache, joint pain, muscle aches, or fatigue.  Symptoms appearing between three and 30 days after a tick bite should be reported to your health care provider.  Be prepared to talk about your recent tick bite, when it occurred or when you found the tick, and your outdoor activities.

For more information, check out this link.

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