Why the tick season can be worse in the Covid-19 summer
Noting the soft winter on the East Coast, the Cow said, "We have a bad year for ticks."
Pedestrians, campers, and anyone who wants to escape can "explode out. And maybe there isn't an equally wise approach" to prevent exposure, explained Dr. Sorana Segal-Maurer, director of Dr. James J. Rahal, Jr. Infectious Disease Division in the NewYork-Presbyterian Queens health care system.
"I am a little nervous that their guard might come down a little," he added.
The open crowd was so large around Memorial Day weekend, that parks from southern California to North Carolina had to close early after reaching capacity.
Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced an increase in Lyme and other congenital diseases, with seven additional germs identified in the US in the past two decades, while "single star ticks" expanded their footprints from the southeast to the northern states and the Midwest.
That CDC's guide to visiting parks and recreational facilities in the Covid-19 era including avoiding crowded parks, staying at home if you are infected and choosing parks that are closer to home to limit additional stops that carry the risk of additional transmission.
But ignoring the basic steps that reduce the risk of head lice and vector-borne diseases to focus solely on preventing Covid-19 is only one danger. Another is the possibility of confusing symptoms if you start feeling nauseous.
Lyme and Covid-19 disease: a story of similar symptoms
The warning signs for tick-borne diseases are "very similar to the severity we have seen with Covid-19, namely fever, muscle aches, headaches, severe fatigue," Dr. Segal-Maurer.
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He believes the unique difference is that breathing problems are common in coronavirus patients, but not those who are infected by lice. However, even that difference can be debated.
"Lung involvement, even to a fatal extent, has been documented in various infections transmitted by ticks," Dr. Steven Phillips from the Bay Area Lyme Foundation to CNN. "Although serious lung involvement with vector-borne infections is relatively rare, nonspecific lung complaints, such as shortness of breath, are very common."
The Park Service, which welcomes more than 300 million people in a normal year, continues to re-open land and "gradual" services. Launched a "Responsible Recreation" the campaign, reminded visitors not only about social distance on the lanes, boat launches and parking lots, but encouraged guests to postpone difficult hikes or new activities, with first responders and others still busy with the pandemic response.
Even if you follow Covid-19 tips, heeding suggestions to avoid bites is just as important. Dr. Segal-Maurer describes a "realistic" scenario if you are on a solid hiking trail: "You will all push into the vegetation … You will be a little off the track."
Fleas "hang the tip of a blade of grass or leaves or herbs, and they have a slight feeling that they are … some kind of shake out there. So, once you brush, they stick."
Last month, Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine announced an increase in emergency room visits over the past few months "linked" to flea bites. "Some symptoms of Lyme disease, such as fever, cold, and headaches, are similar to the symptoms of COVID-19," Dr. Levine in a statement, which repeated what the other experts said..
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Head outside – but responsibly
Like coronavirus, the number of reported cases of Lyme disease may be underestimated. While The CDC estimates 30,000 Americans Lyme contracts each year, federal agents noted the latest estimates suggest that the actual number might be 10 times higher, around 300,000.
Dr. Segal-Maurer said health care professionals always need to ask patients about their trips and other activities. "You have to cover all your bases … we don't want Covid to be blinded."
Patients, in turn, must also ask about both possibilities.
And when it comes to protecting yourself from fleas, he said, "You have to use DEET. It has to be 30%. You need to watch where you climb. And then you need to do a body check when you get back inside."
Phillips prefers Permethrin, which he said is stronger, but "can only be sprayed on clothing, not skin, and must be left to dry overnight before use."
Other tips include wearing a hat, brightly colored clothing to make lice easier to recognize, placing socks over your pants and choosing a long-sleeved shirt to prevent lice from approaching your skin.
That, of course, aside from wearing a mask to fight the spread of the corona virus.
However, even with the extra hassle for safer summer holidays, Dr. Segal-Mauer encouraged people to go outside this summer because he believed "it has been a traumatic few months. I think the great outdoors is a very healing place."
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