How to reduce your chances of contracting Lyme Disease

Pennsylvania has led the nation in Lyme Disease cases for at least the past five years, though New England states have higher rates of the disease.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these tips to reduce your likelihood of getting a tick bite, which can lead to Lyme:

• Insect repellent – Wear insect repellent that contains 20 – 30% DEET on exposed skin and clothing to help make you less attractive to ticks.
• Long clothing – Wear longer pants and sleeves makes it more difficult for ticks to find a place to bite.
• Shower & Search – Showering within 2 hours of outdoor activity helps to clean off any unwanted pests and makes for an ideal time to search for any ticks on your body, or in your hair.
• Tumble your clothes – Throw clothes into a dryer for 1 hour on high heat after coming inside to help kill ticks that cling to your clothes.
• Initial contact – Avoiding contact with ticks is the top priority, so stay out of dense and bushy areas and in the center of trails.