How do you protect yourself from Lyme disease and still enjoy hiking in MA? Ticks come out all year long (even in the winter if there are temperatures above freezing). Here are some ways to protect yourself when you are hiking in MA.
Personal protection:
- Check yourself daily for ticks after you’ve been hiking in MA. They can be as small as the period at the end of a sentence.
- When you go outside while you’re hiking in MA, wear long sleeved, light colored, shirts and long pants tucked into socks. This helps keep the ticks off you and makes them easier to spot even when you’re hiking in MA.
- DEET can be used on your skin but only apply permethrin to clothing that doesn’t come in contact with the skin when you’re hiking in MA.
Property protection:
Even when you are not hiking in MA, you can still contract Lyme’s disease. Here’s some suggestions for how to protect yourself at home, even if when you’re not hiking in MA.
- Keep the grass cut short.
- Remove leaf litter and brush from around your home.
- Prune low-lying brush to let in more sunlight.
- Keep woodpiles and birdfeeders off the ground and away from the house.
Note about Protecting Yourself from Lyme Disease while Hiking in MA
Whether you’re hiking in MA or sitting on your lawn, consider these precautions. We hope you continue to enjoy hiking in MA.
