Local Proclamation Comes

With A BLAST

By John Voket

A renewed and invigorated effort will be mounted locally and across the region in May as municipalities and health agencies including the Newtown Health District work to “BLAST Tick-borne Disease.” In anticipation for ramping up a heightened media and awareness campaign throughout May, Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra issues a proclamation Wednesday in the presence of several residents and Health District Director Donna Culbert.

Dave Shugarts, who is Newtown’s liaison to the Fairfield County Municipal Deer Alliance and the local tick-borne disease action committee, the committee’s chairman Dr Robert Grossman, and Health Board Chair Dr Thomas Draper were on hand for the brief ceremony at the Municipal Center.

They also were among the first to see a new information station positioned at the north entrance to the town facility, which is packed with information about preventing tick-borne illness, including Lyme disease.

During the brief ceremony, Mrs Llodra presented the proclamation which in part proclaims May as BLAST Tick-borne Disease Out of Newtown Month.

“Newtown, along with the other nine towns in the ten-town HVCEO region, are making a regional statement at their April 15th monthly HVCEO meeting to emphasize the importance of Tick-borne Disease in our region,” the document begins.

“Ticks and the diseases they cause have been a problem for many years. It does not appear that the numbers of ticks or their infection rates have declined, which makes it increasingly important that residents learn about ticks, their risk of acquiring a tick-borne disease and the actions that they can take to protect themselves,” it continues.

“During 2008, the town of Ridgefield received a grant from the CT Department of Public Health for a program of Lyme disease prevention and education. The resulting BLAST program was designed to be shared with other communities.

“To enhance municipal efforts, in 2008 HVCEO created a regional Tick-Borne Illness Prevention Task Force. While local groups are already addressing this complex public health issue, mayors and first selectmen recognized that regional coordination and communication could more efficiently address this health problem. The Task Force has adopted the BLAST program and is promoting it in their communities,” the proclamation reads.

“Anyone and everyone who lives in or spends time in the woods or its fringe, and/or has pets that spend anytime outdoors in this region of the country is at risk for tick bites and possibly tick-borne disease if an infected tick is not removed promptly. Until there is a time when the tick population is reduced, residents must take steps to avoid tick bites where possible. To reduce the possibility of being bitten, efforts should be made to reduce tick abundance in yards, to utilize personal protection and to remove an attached tick as soon as possible.”

The document concludes by reminding residents and visitors that the Health District has the BLAST materials and displays for community outreach, and that the town has also posted that information on its website at www.newtown-ct.gov.

Ms Culbert explained that BLAST is an acronym which represents:

Be aware of the risks of tick-borne disease — Learn about ticks; Bathe soon after spending time outdoors

Look for ticks and the tell-tale rash every day.

Avoid areas where ticks congregate — and Apply repellent appropriately

Safeguard your yard — use landscaping techniques to create a “tick-safe zone” — and consider spraying your yard with pesticide

Early medical Treatment can result in quicker and more complete recovery. Know the symptoms of tick-borne illnesses and see your doctor if they present. Also, Treat your pet — ask your vet to make a recommendation.