I'm sure you've heard of the Zika virus by now, with all of the coverage online and on television. More often than not, the news stories are centered around Zika outbreaks in Mexico, the Caribbean and South America — but the disease, which is carried by Aedes mosquitoes, is a global public health threat and serious concern for pregnant women or women who may become pregnant. In Florida alone, more than 200 Zika cases have been reported due to travelers bringing back the virus from other countries.
This is a sponsored post on behalf of RISE and the Mom It Forward Blogger Network. All opinions are my own.
As a regular traveler to the Caribbean and Mexico, I am very aware of the Zika virus and its symptoms and health risks. I take every precaution I can to avoid getting bit by mosquitoes including the use of am EPA-approved personal mosquito repellent. Once I return home, my usage of mosquito repellent doesn't stop. In fact, I'm just as cautious here as I am abroad, and encourage my family to use personal repellents as needed in the event that Zika makes its way to the U.S. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are abundant year-round in Florida, Texas and other southern states.
At the moment, no locally-acquired cases of Zika have been reported in the United States, but recent cases contracted abroad and the ability for the virus to spread from person to person, expands the impacted area— families are still urged to take precautions.
Here are 4 Simple Ways to Protect Your Family From the Zika Virus
Put up personal barriers.
Wear light-colored clothing and cover up with long sleeves and pants and consider repellent-treated clothing treated with EPA-approved pesticides. Remember, while many mosquitoes are particularly active during dawn and dusk hours, Aedes mosquitoes that can transmit the Zika virus, bite all day long, and can bite up to 12 people during that time.
Reinforce your home.
Make sure the screens on your windows and doors are in good repair and close all windows and doors to remove any entry points for mosquitoes.
Apply mosquito-specific defenses.
Apply EPA-approved insect repellent on exposed skin, especially your legs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a variety of safe and effective repellents for you and your family. Read the instructions on repellents before applying to your skin.
Eliminate standing water.
Aedes mosquitoes can breed in water trapped in containers as small as a bottle cap. Survey your home for possible areas of water collection – tire swings, buckets bottles, clogged rain gutters, birdbaths, pet bowls, toys, flowerpot saucers, wading pools and more. All of these water catchers attract mosquitoes and give them a place to breed.
These simple tips have been provided by RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment)® , a national association focused on creating inspiring and healthy places to live, work, and play. RISE works to educate people on the responsible use of pest control products such as personal repellents and pesticides used on lawns and gardens, playing fields and parks, and inside homes and other structures, as well as mosquito control.
In addition, RISE also created debugthemyths.com, a resource hub designed to answer common questions about repellents and pesticides and to serve as a place to ask questions and learn more about controlling common pests in your yard and community.
Our worlds are interconnected, so while the U.S. is well-equipped to control mosquitoes and the spread of diseases such as the Zika virus, the most effective prevention method wherever you are is a team approach – involving you and your community, public health and vector control officials, and professional applicators.
#AtoZika Twitter Party
Please join me on Tuesday, June 28 from 9-10pm EST for the #AtoZika Twitter Chat with @DebugtheMyths and Mom It Forward. We'll be talking about pest control and outdoor fun, AND 5 lucky winners will each receive a $50 Target gift card! See giveaway info here.
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