Health Department offers Zika kits, tips
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Spring is in full swing and with the mild winter this year, mosquitoes are already out in force.
The Forsyth County Department of Public Health is proactively working to provide residents, including pregnant women, with the information and resources necessary to help protect them from the variety of diseases that are spread through the bite of mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes can carry a variety of diseases including: Zika, West Nile Virus, Chikungunya, Dengue, Eastern Equine, and Lacrosse Encephalitis.
Forsyth County expecting moms can stop by the health department’s Information Desk to pick up their Zika Pregnancy Prevention kit beginning now while supplies last.
Kits will also be given out to clients at the Dental Center, WIC, Family Planning Clinic, Downtown Health Plaza, and clients in the Pregnancy Care Management Program.
The kit includes several CDC factsheets with basic information about Zika, mosquito bite prevention, and Zika travel related information. Each kit also contains mosquito repellent, condoms, and mosquito dunks to treat standing water.
Forsyth County Department of Public Health wants to encourage all residents to take basic mosquito control and protective measures against mosquito-borne disease. Whether you’re traveling out of the country or just enjoying the North Carolina weather at home, be sure to use repellants and other general protection measures against biting mosquitoes.
Reduce mosquito breeding opportunities by emptying standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires and birdbaths at least weekly.
