Preparing for West Nile Virus in 2005:
The time for the 4Ds is now.
It’s that time of year, and many are beginning to wonder
what kind of West Nile virus (WNV) season is in store for
Boulder County. Naturally, there is no way to predict the
level of mosquito activity the county will experience this
year. The season relies heavily on the weather pattern,
and significant amount of wet weather, followed by hot
temperatures, may cause an increase in mosquito activity.
We have begun to monitor mosquito pools throughout the county and will
be providing regular updates online beginning at the end of May. In
addition, public health experts will be monitoring infection rates of
birds and horses and watching the weather as an indication of mosquito
activity to come.
It is important however, to remember that West Nile virus is here to
stay in Colorado. Therefore, we recommend practicing personal
protection from May through September, when the WNV carrying species
of mosquito (Culex) is most active. This personal
protection includes practicing all of the 4Ds:
-
DEET: Use insect repellant containing at
least 10% DEET.
-
DRESS: Dress in long sleeves and long pants.
-
DUSK TO DAWN: Reduce or eliminate outdoor
activity between dusk and dawn.
-
DRAIN: Drain standing water around your
property (including flowerpots, toys, etc.)
For those interested in DEET alternatives, additional products have
been shown to work as well as a low concentration of DEET:
-
Bite Blocker (key ingredient: soybean oil).
-
Cutter Advanced (key ingredient: picaridin)
This has not yet approved for children under 3.
-
Repel Lemon Eucalyptus & Fite Bite Plant-Based
Insect Repellent (key ingredient: oil of lemon eucalyptus) This
should not
be used on children under 3. Repel is 30% eucalyptus oil, and you
should never apply pure eucalyptus oil to skin.
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