Protect yourself against Lyme disease

Workers dream about holidays

THE HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre has urged people who take part in outdoor pursuits to protect themselves against Lyme disease, which is spread by tick bites.

Lyme disease can, in a minority of cases, cause severe debilitating heart and nervous system disease.

As people are more likely to engage in outdoor pursuits in the summer months, ramblers, campers, mountain bikers, and others who work and walk in forested or grassy areas must be vigilant against tick bites, says HPSC specialist in public health medicine, Dr Paul McKeown.

“Ticks are tiny insect like creatures that feed on the blood of mammals and birds and will also feed on humans. Ticks are more numerous and more active in the summer months and protecting against tick bites protects against Lyme disease. “Tick bites can be prevented by: Wearing long trousers, long sleeved shirt and shoes Using an insect repellent Checking skin, hair and warm skin folds (especially the neck and scalp of children) for ticks, after a day out

Removing any ticks and consulting with a GP if symptoms develop

“Only a minority of ticks carry infection.

“If a tick is removed within a few hours, the risk of infection is low,” said Dr McKeown.

The entire tick, including any mouthparts which might break off, should be removed with a tweezers by gripping it close to the skin. The skin where the tick was found should then be washed with soap and water and the area checked over the next few weeks for swelling or redness.

Anyone who develops a rash or other symptoms should visit their GP and explain that they have been bitten by a tick.

“Lyme disease has been notifiable in Ireland since 2012 and there are between 8-13 cases notified in Ireland each year. However as some people will not be aware that they are infected or will not seek medical help when unwell the true incidence of Lyme disease is not known,” added Dr McKeown.

Further important information to protect against Lyme disease is available at www.hpsc.ie TWO THIRDS of us experience joy in work by fantasising about our next holiday.

That’s according to research by ‘workbiscuit champions’ the Cadbury Dairy Milk LU & Ritz.

However not all of our work distractions are as happy about dreaming about holidays, unfortunately. More than 2-in-5 (44%) of workers in Cork say that too many deadlines make their head spin and distract them most in work. While other distractions include home pressures like what to get for dinner (27%) and office gossip (21%).

And when are we most distracted? three out of four workers in Cork start to feel the ‘slump’ after lunch, around 3pm.

The slump doesn’t just resign itself to an hour in the afternoon however. With thoughts of the weekend to come, well over a third (39%) of Munster workers say Friday is their least productive ‘slump’ day.

Apparently, the best way to get us hard-pressed workers out of a slump is money, as over half (58%) say a pay rise gives them the most joy in work! Others of us are less hard to please, with almost a third (30%) of Munster workers getting the most joy from a simple bit of praise.

Meanwhile, there are those of us who have experienced just a little bit too much joy in work – and lived to regret it! A quarter (26%) of those surveyed have shared a juicy secret they shouldn’t have, while almost a fifth (18%) have been caught moaning about their boss.

With all of these insights in mind, Cadbury Ritz and Lu has launched the ‘All Ireland Doodle Competition’ which calls on bored workers across Ireland to share their office doodles on social media with the hashtag #FreeTheJoy - for a chance to win a fabulous holiday escape for two.