Jennifer Robinson

There are currently no Lyme Disease vaccines for humans. Some new vaccines are in clinical trials, but it could be years before any are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For now, Lyme Disease is treated with antibiotics.

The best way to protect yourself and your children from tick-borne diseases is to prevent tick bites.

When you go out into the garden, fields, woods, golf course or anywhere in the outdoors: Use repellent, wear closed shoes and long-sleeved clothing and pants. When you come in: Inspect your bodies carefully to look for ticks and tick bites, take a shower, and put your clothes in the washer or dryer. Don’t forget to inspect your scalps and body areas that are hard to see. Also know that pets that go outdoors, even if they are vaccinated against ticks, can bring ticks into your home.

Invest in a tick remover. To know how to remove a tick:
https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/advice-and-prevention/health-and-environment/removing-a-tick-after-a-bite

If you get bit by a tick, remove it immediately, keep it and call Info-Santé 811. The nurse will tell you if you need to consult a health professional. Depending on the assessment of the situation, an antibiotic may be prescribed to you as a precaution.

According to the Quebec public health officials, getting into the habit of checking for ticks should become a reality for us all, if it isn’t already.
There is lots of information online on ticks and how to avoid tick-borne disease.

General information: https://www.etick.ca/

Quebec government site: https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/a-z/lyme-disease 

Canada government site: https://www.canada.ca/en/public- health/services/diseases/lyme-disease/prevention-lyme- disease.html