Temperatures are climbing into the double digits, and soon much of the snowpack will be gone leaving drier conditions in winter’s wake. That means it’s nearly time to contend with this year’s crop of wood ticks and the risk of tick-borne illness.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority offers some advice on the prevention of tick bites:
• Wear light-coloured clothes so ticks can be easily seen.
• Wear pants, long-sleeved shirts and shoes that do not expose your bare feet.
• Pull socks over your pant legs to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs.
• Use insect repellents that contain DEET or Icaridin. Apply repellent to clothes as well as your skin. Always read and follow the directions on the label. Some repellents may have age restrictions.
• Shower or bathe as soon as possible after being outside to wash off loose ticks and inspect for attached ticks.
To mitigate health risks, residents can send in pictures of ticks found on humans or animals to the eTick online system for identification.
More information is available on the Government of Saskatchewan website.