Zika!
The governor has signed an emergency order freeing up more than 20 million dollars to beef up the mosquito control programs. He was in the news again trashing the White House for not being a federal partner. Except, like with the water, it’s Congress that has to reconvene to make this happen. It’s very frustrating when the news shows these news clips without correcting him. He could be calling our Florida US Congressman and asking them to help. Like Patrick Murphy who has been working his butt off trying to get funding. This would be the same Governor that wanted to defund the mosquito boards.
“Scott targeted them for possible extinction, calling the local mosquito fighters a major “tax burden” of dubious benefit to taxpayers.” (Click on link for rest of story)
Apparently he didn’t get the part about us being in Florida where mosquitoes are the size of 747s. Or maybe he did but just with the algae he didn’t care.
We had Dengue Fever right down the street from my house. Two of my friends got it and they were really sick. We were all freaked out. Like the Toxic Algae no one really did anything at time. I do know after our local health department who depended on volunteers for this task has been going around keeping an eye on this. There are other mosquitoes that people are concerned about but this nothing we ever hear about in the news.
I’m not saying not to be concerned about Zika. I’m very concerned about Zika for every childbearing woman in our state and elsewhere. It’s heartbreaking and in Florida there is no medical support for any of these babies. Your on your own! I’m saying that just like the algae it’s time to report correctly. Stop sending people to hide under their bed and send them to good information.
There is free Zika Testing and all kind of information through the Florida Department of Health.
These are the actual medical people who get paid to take care of this. You should be doing everything you can to prevent mosquito from growing around your house like making sure there is no standing water.
Here is the instructions from the Department of Health. I was really happy to see the Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. I’ll be ordering some of that. Would be nice if Pam Bondi read the Department of health page. Many people cannot tolerate those other chemicals.
Travelers to a tropical or sub-tropical area (Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America), can protect themselves from Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases by following these prevention suggestions:
- Use insect repellent with any of the following active ingredients
- DEET (up to 30%)
- Picaridin
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus
- Para-menthane diol
- IR3535
- Always follow product label instructions and make sure repellent is age-appropriate.
- It is safe for pregnant or nursing women to use EPA-approved repellents if applied according to package label instructions.
- Apply repellent on bare skin or clothing, not under clothing.
- Cover skin with long-sleeved shirts and long pants
- Apply a permethrin repellent directly to clothing or purchase pre-treated clothing. Follow the manufacturer’s directions and do not apply directly to the skin.
- Keep mosquitoes out of hotel rooms
- Choose a hotel or lodging with air conditioning or screens on windows and doors.
- Sleep under a mosquito bed net when outside or in a room that is not screened.
For more information on mosquito bite prevention visit: Mosquito-borne Prevention
There is also good info for clinicians.
Maybe Rick Scott staff could share this information with him since he said he doesn’t read and relies on them for all his information.
Miami is on high alert. The CDC issued a rare travel warning. All these cases lead back to one neighborhood called Wynwood.
The Florida Department of Health is investigating a non travel-related case of Zika virus in Palm Beach County. The patient recently traveled to Miami-Dade County to the Wynwood Community. The source of the infection is not yet known.
Don’t hold your breath. When we had Dengue Fever we got a huge run around.
Left hand please talk to the right hand! Staff in Scott’s office: Please read the Department of Health’s Website!
The rest of us: No standing water! Just say no to breeding more mosquitoes.