HOW TO PREVENT TICK BITES, LYME DISEASE
The risk of Lyme disease infection in Montreal and Laval is considered low to very low, according to a map published by the Institut national de santé publique du Québec. But it’s not zero, and it’s higher in places you might go for a hike or a weekend getaway, so here are four tips to help avoid getting tick bites.
Ticks thrive in the woods and tall grasses. They especially like forested areas with dead leaves. So if you venture into the woods, stay on a welltrodden path.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. Spray DEET inspect repellent on your skin to ward off ticks.
When you return home, inspect your body, arms and legs for ticks or a bull’s eye rash. Do the same for children and pets. Take a bath, which will increase the likelihood that a tick that you might have missed will fall from your body, into the water.
If you do spot a tick on your skin, don’t squish it. Use tweezers to remove it directly from your skin. If a tick is removed within the first 24 hours, there’s a very good chance you won’t become infected.