Tick-borne Disease Awareness Month

Mayor Steinmann, the Ewing Township Board of Health and Health Department would like to remind you that May is Tick-borne Disease Awareness Month. 

Did you know that in 2018, there were 4,000 reported Lyme disease cases in New Jersey, the second highest number of cases reported in the nation that year? Get prevention information about Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases here. #targetticksnj #healthynj 

TIPS FOR PREVENTING TICK BORNE DISEASES

• May is tick-borne disease awareness month. Did you know that ticks can be as small as a poppy seed? Try to spot the 5 ticks in this photo!

• Ticks don't practice physical distancing! Make sure to do a tick check and shower soon after being outside to prevent tick-borne diseases.
• To prevent Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, it is important to avoid tick bites. Wear long sleeves and pants, use insect repellent, and perform tick checks.

• Found an attached tick? Don’t panic! Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Pull upward with steady pressure. After removing the tick, clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

• Feeling cooped up? Take your dog for a walk! Remember to check yourself and your dog for ticks when you get back home.

• Staying home can help stop the spread of COVID-19, but did you know it’s tick season in NJ? Keep yourself and your family healthy with a clean yard: mow lawns, clear brush and remove leaf litter.

• If you have symptoms of a tick-borne disease such as fever, headache, fatigue, muscle aches or rash, call your health care provider to see if telemedicine can save you a trip to the office.

Additional Resources

• CDC guide to Preventing Tick Bites on People - https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/on_people.htm
• The CDC allow provides information for preventing ticks on your pets - https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/on_pets.html
• Landscape Tips for Preventing a Tick-Safe Zone in your yard (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/in_the_yard.html
• NJ Department of Health’s Fight the Bite campaign (for ticks and mosquitoes) https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/vectorborne.shtml

Official Flyer