Spending more time outside? Watch out for ticks!

Tick populations across Nova Scotia are growing as the weather gets warmer.

There are many types of ticks in the province, including the blacklegged tick, which transmits Lyme disease, among others.

These insects like humid environments and can often be found in areas of high vegetation such as tall grass, shrubs, parks, gardens and forests.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Shelley Deeks says “Tick-borne diseases are preventable if you are aware and take simple precautions like covering your skin and checking for ticks.

The province offers these tips to reduce your risk:

– wear long pants and long sleeves in areas likely to have ticks
– wear light-coloured clothing (light colours make it easier to see ticks)
– wear enclosed shoes and tuck pant legs into socks
– walk on well-travelled paths, avoiding long grass and vegetation
– apply insect repellents approved by Health Canada to exposed skin and clothes (following directions carefully).

A tick identification service called eTick is available to Nova Scotians, who can send photos of ticks to be identified through the app. More information is available at: https://etick.ca/

People with questions or concerns about tick safety or tick-borne diseases can call 811 or the Nova Scotia Health Tick Hotline at 902-266-7199 or toll-free at 1-866-266-7199.

Local pharmacists can assess tick bites and determine if a preventive antibiotic is needed.

More information is at: https://novascotia.ca/dhw/pharmacare/healthcare-services.asp