3 WAYS TO… give ticks the flick

Of the 70 kinds of ticks in Australia, humans are most commonly bitten by the paralysis tick which can cause potentially serious health problems. Here are three tips on dealing with the little suckers!

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Repellent

Use personal insect repellent containing diethylmeta-toluamide (DEET) or picaridin on your skin. There are also products containing permethrin you can use on your clothing if you’re regularly in high-risk

tick areas.

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Cover up

Ticks climb blades of grass and attach to hosts when they brush past. Wear long pants tucked into socks to restrict access to your skin and stick to light coloured fabric to make spotting

ticks easier.

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Remove If you have an allergy, or feel unwell, seek medical attention. Otherwise, a tick can usually be safely removed by grasping close to the skin and

pulling. Do not squeeze its body. Wart-freezing products containing ether can also be used to kill the

tick.