The Lincoln County Health Department is reminding everyone to take precautions to avoid tick bites and tick-borne diseases. Simple precautions, like use of insect repellant and other steps, can help to reduce the risks of common tick-borne illnesses in Tennessee like Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, and alpha-gal syndrome.

Tips to avoid tick bites:

• Know where ticks live: Ticks can be found in grassy, bushy or wooded areas. In these areas, staying on trails rather than venturing off trail can reduce tick exposures.

• Treat clothi

n g and gear: Treat boots, socks, clothing, and camp gear with 0.5% permethrin and allow to dry for at least two to four hours before you go out (follow label instructions). Per methrin is not a repellant but an acaricide that kills ticks on contact. Alternatively, you can buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear. Self-applied permethrin spray generally lasts for six washings or up to six weeks. Factory-treated clothing can last up to 70 washes.

• Use insect repellants containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), param ethane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone on your skin, following all label recommendations for use. Do not use products containing OLE or PMD on children under 3 years old. Never apply any of these products around the mouth or eyes. Consult your healthcare provider if you have questions. If using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellant second to maintain repellency.

• Do a tick check after you come indoors. Check clothing and body (including hair and scalp) for attached ticks and shower within two hours to help remove unattached ticks. Pathogens transmitted by ticks can cause mild, flu-like symptoms which can progress to serious illness with major consequences if left untreated.

Antibiotics can treat tick-borne illnesses caused by bacteria including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiois and Lyme disease, but the best approach is to take precautions to reduce tick bites altogether.

For more information about health programs and services available at the Lincoln County Health Department, go to https:// www. tn. gov/ health/ local.html or call 931433-3231.