Yesterday we talked about using insect repellents safely to battle mosquitoes. But applying insect repellents isn’t the only thing you can do to combat mosquitoes. Protect yourself and your workers from insect-borne diseases by taking these tips from EPA for controlling mosquitoes in your area.
Remove Their Habitat
- Eliminate standing water in rain gutters, old tires, buckets, plastic covers, or any other container where mosquitoes can breed.
- Empty and change the water in bird baths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels, and potted plant trays at least once a week to destroy potential mosquito habitats.
- Drain or fill temporary pools of water with dirt.
- Keep swimming pool water treated and circulating.
Prevent Your Exposure to Mosquitoes
- Use EPA-registered mosquito repellents when necessary and follow label directions and precautions closely.
- Use head nets, long sleeves, and long pants if you venture into areas with high mosquito populations, such as salt marshes.
- If there is a mosquito-borne disease warning in effect, stay inside during the evening when mosquitoes are active.
- Make sure window and door screens are "bug tight."
- Replace your outdoor lights with yellow "bug" lights which tend to attract fewer mosquitoes than ordinary lights. Keep in mind that the yellow lights are NOT repellents.
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Use Structural Barriers
- Cover all gaps in walls, doors, and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering.
- Make sure window and door screens are in good working order.
- Completely cover baby carriers and beds with netting.
Avoid Getting Bitten
- Keep mosquitoes away from exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks.
- Tuck shirts into pants and pants into socks to cover gaps in your clothing where mosquitoes can get to your skin.
- Stay indoors at sunrise, sunset, and early in the evening when mosquitoes are most active.
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West Nile Virus (WNV) and Your Workplace
Most often, WNV is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. This is why mosquito control is so important. Teach your workers about WNV and how to recognize the symptoms.
Serious symptoms in a few people. About one in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe illness. The severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent.
Milder symptoms in some people. Up to 20 percent of the people who become infected have symptoms such as fever, headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have become sick for several weeks.
No symptoms in most people. Approximately 80 percent of people (about 4 out of 5) who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all.
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