Investment in Preventing Tick-Borne Illnesses is On the State Legislation Radar

The Fall River and South Shore areas of Massachusetts are home to some of the hardest hit cities in the state when it comes to the Lyme Disease epidemic. While the state did create a Special Commission on Lyme Disease in 2012 to recommend “strategies to improve surveillance, increase education and awareness, improve coverage for treatment, and promote short- and long-term prevention” far greater support is needed.

According to The Enterprise in an article written by Jim Cantwell, the state house of representative from the Fourth Plymouth District (Marshfield and Scituate), Massachusetts can and should do more. The article sites alarming statistics about how much the state spends on mosquito control to combat mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis in comparison to the very little they spend in preventing tick-borne diseases such as Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Babesiosis and Tularemia.

Lyme Disease vs. West Nile Virus

The $10,000,000 Massachusetts spends on mosquito control each year is a valuable asset to the state. The results can be used as a great example of why tick control should also be invested in, especially given that Lyme Disease is at epidemic proportions in the area. According to the CDC, the number of cases of West Nile Virus in Massachusetts has reached a grand total of 119 cases from 1999-2014. But the CDC also reports there were 3,816 cases of Lyme Disease in Massachusetts just in 2013 alone. A number which experts say is lower than reality due to a high incidence of unreported cases.

Lyme Disease Education & Prevention

In his article, Rep. Cantwell recommends a couple of steps that can be taken in the Massachusetts state legislature to aid in this public health problem. He introduced a proposal to invest $500,000 in a public health campaign to educate the Massachusetts public about Lyme Disease and tick-borne illness prevention. He also points to a bill proposed by Representative Carolyn Dykema, H.651 An Act Relative to the Control of Tick-borne Illness that would give power to county-level mosquito and tick control boards to “investigate promising tick management strategies; raise community awareness; and undertake tick control.” Representative Cantwell also suggests investing in Lyme and tick-borne disease vaccination research and development.

Tick Control in Fall River & South Shore

As the state legislation begins to look at ways to assist the public in combating the Lyme Disease epidemic there are many steps you can take to protect yourself and your family now. Lyme Disease Prevention is possible without hiding indoors all season. Follow the 6 C’s of tick proofing your yard and invest in tick control for your yard with professional tick control services from Mosquito Squad. Our traditional barrier treatment will eliminate 85-90% of the ticks in your yard and with the addition of tick tubes twice a year you can interrupt the tick life cycle and eliminate nymph ticks where they nest with rodents.

Call today to schedule intensive tick treatment for your Fall River or South Shore yard.