For Hometown News
TREASURE COAST - Predictions of an early and fierce bug season is prompting Physicians Immediate Care to urge residents to take safety measures against mosquito borne diseases.
"Mosquito season is expected to come early this year. Residents need to be extra careful when outdoors in the early morning and evening," said Kenneth Palestrant, founder of Physicians Immediate Care. "A milder winter means a bumper crop of mosquitoes that can carry a variety of illnesses, including the West Nile Virus and St. Louis encephalitis."
Residents are reminded that there are a number of things they can do to help avoid mosquito bites and control the number of mosquitoes in and around their home.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these tips:
*When possible, wear long sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors
*Consider staying indoors at dawn, dusk and in the early evening, which are peak mosquito biting times
*Use an insect repellent containing DEET to help reduce exposure to mosquitoes
*Spray clothes with repellent containing permethrin or DEET for extra protection. (Don't apply repellents containing permethrin directly to skin. Do not spray repellent containing DEET on the skin under your clothing.)
*Place mosquito netting over infant carriers while outdoors
*Install or repair window and door screens so that mosquitoes cannot get indoors
*At least once or twice a week, empty water from flower pots, pet food and water dishes, birdbaths, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels and cans
*Check for clogged rain gutters and clean them out
*Be sure to check for containers or trash in places that may be hard to see, such as under bushes or under homes.
*Neighborhood clean-up days can be organized by civic or youth organizations to pick up containers from vacant lots and parks, and to encourage people to keep their yards free of standing water
*If bitten by mosquitoes and have an allergic reaction, seek medical assistance immediately
For more information, call (772) 343-1774 or visit www.immedcare.com.