“A hurricane hasn’t hit Florida on Gov. Rick Scott’s watch, but he finds himself trying to guide the state through a more insidious and invisible public health threat. Call it Hurricane Zika.” This excerpt from a recent article in the Tampa Bay Times is part of one of the many resurging stories about the Zika virus.
So far the virus has only been identified in a small section of Miami according to an article in the Washington Post, with no sign that it’s spreading elsewhere, so there’s no reason to worry about your Bamboo Beach Club Resort vacation, but steering clear of mosquito bites is a smart move no matter what.
The best medicine is prevention, so keep these handy tips top-of-mind so you don’t get bitten by a mosquito, period.
Use insect repellent that contains 20% or more of DEET for protection that lasts up to several hours.
- Products containing DEET include Off!, Cutter, Sawyer, and Ultrathon. Always follow product directions and reapply as directed.
- If you are in a hot climate and also need sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.
- Don’t spray insect repellent on the skin under your clothing.
Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
- Consider using permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks and tents). You can buy pre-treated clothing and gear or treat them yourself. Treated clothing remains protective after multiple washings. See the product information to find out how long the protection will last.
Stay and sleep in screened or air-conditioned rooms. Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.
If, after all of your precautions, you are still bitten, follow these tips to treat your bites:
- Avoid scratching mosquito bites.
- Apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to reduce itching.
While there is no cure for Zika, the most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain, and red eye. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. However, it is more threatening for pregnant women as it is linked to serious birth defects.
There is no medicine to treat Zika, but symptoms may be treated with plenty of rest, drinking fluids to prevent dehydration and taking acetaminophen or paracetamol to relieve fever and pain.
You can follow https://travel.state.gov for Zika updates and news, but your best bet is to try to avoid those pesky mosquito bites altogether.
Do you have any other ways to keep mosquitos at bay? We’d love to hear them in the comments below.
The post Mosquitos Are The Worst: How to Protect Against Bites appeared first on Blog Bamboo Beach Club Resort.