How To Stay Safe During Tick Season

People enjoying the great outdoors should be mindful this time of year as more ticks can be found, increasing the risk to catch tick-borne illnesses.

Ticks can be found outdoors anywhere with vegetation, such as in the woods, in the park or any kind of walking trail.

They can cause harm to people and pets as they may carry diseases such as rocky mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease or Ehrlichiaosis. Some of these diseases can prove deadly.

In the northeast, a rare tick-borne illness called babesiosis has been on the rise. The disease can cause flu-like symptoms and can possibly be severe, according to the Center for Disease Control.

Norton Children’s Hospital Dr. Kristina Bryant said anytime someone or their pets come inside from the outdoors, they should be checked for any possible ticks.

Bryant said because of the type of tick-borne illness that we see, you remove the tick, wash the area with soap and water, watch for symptoms that are concerning fever, headache, muscle aches and often rash.

To remove a tick, a person should use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure.

Don’t twist or jerk the tick as it can cause parts within the tick’s mouth to break off and remain in the skin.

People should not crush a tick with their fingers.

To dispose of a live tick, it should be placed in alcohol or in a sealed bag or container, wrapped tightly in tape or flushed down the toilet.
Source: WAVE