Watch For Ticks As They Emerge In Spring

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By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

With the weather getting warmer and social activities put on hold, now is a great time to get outside and enjoy beautiful Garrett County. The Governor’s stay-at-home order allows for engaging in outdoor exercise activities, such as walking, hiking, running, and biking, so take advantage of this time.

But, don’t forget to be proactive in protecting yourself against ticks and tick-borne diseases. Spring is the season that ticks will start to emerge looking for their next blood meal. 

Ticks are found in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas. You may come into contact with ticks while cleaning up the yard, going for a hike, or playing outside. Take precautions like dressing in light colored clothes to be able to spot ticks more easily or wearing permethrin treated clothes, but don’t avoid the outdoors for fear of encountering a tick. Instead, after coming inside, take a shower and perform a thorough tick check:

• Under your arms
• In and around your ears
• Inside your belly button
• Behind your knees
• In and around your hair
• Around your waist and groin area
• In between your toes

Don’t forget to protect your pets. It is important to keep your pets healthy and prevent the transfer of a tick from them to you by treating them regularly with a tick preventative and combing over their fur to check for ticks after they have been outside.

If you do find yourself, a family member, or a pet with an embedded tick, the best way to remove a tick is to use a pair of tweezers and grab as close to the skin as possible. Gently pull back until the tick releases and then treat the area with an antiseptic. Do not use a lighter, fingernail polish, petroleum jelly or any other alternative method as these have been proven not to work and may make the situation worse. Monitor the area for any skin irritation or infection, and your body for any changes in your health. Always consult a medical professional with concerns regarding a tick bite. 

The Garrett County Health Department (GCHD) is actively monitoring tick populations and species in Garrett County to better assess the risk and inform the public. If you find a tick and would like to have it identified, please go to garretthealth.org/tick-submission-form/ and download the form. Fill it out, attach the tick, and mail it to GCHD Environmental Health, 1025 Memorial Drive, Oakland, MD 21550. These ticks will not be tested for pathogens but will help us in data collection and mapping tick distributions in Garrett County. 

For more information, call Environmental Health at 301-334-7765 or visit www.cdc.gov/ticks