By Cindy Mulla
Panama City Beach is beginning to buzz with summer excitement for locals and visitors. Everyone is anxious to begin enjoying and planning special activities in their favorite, natural, outdoor living spaces. However, as you anticipate your next outdoor adventure, please become aware of mosquitoes. Try to avoid infested areas, wear protective clothing, and correctly wear mosquito repellent. Here are helpful tips for choosing and using a repellent correctly to assist you on your quest to protect yourself and your loved ones from the bite of the female mosquito.
Why should you wear repellent?
Did you know, only the female mosquito bites? She needs the nutrients from a warm blood meal to produce her eggs.
This is the most important reason to wear repellent: infectious female mosquitoes can transmit disease through their saliva when they bite. Viruses found in Florida include Chikungunya (CHIKV), Dengue virus (DENV), Zika, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEEV), St. Louis Encephalitis (SLEV), and West Nile Virus (WNV). Chikungunya, Dengue and Zika are traditionally imported infections with some local transmissions possible, all can be transmitted to humans.
How to choose and use a repellent correctly.
Always remember to read and understand the repellent manufacturer’s label directions before choosing and using a repellent. Also, check the label for the lists of the insects it will repel. Repellents are either formulated by synthetic chemicals or plant-derived chemicals.
Always use an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved registered product that is both safe and effective.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the insect repellent you use has one of these active ingredients: DEET the label might not say DEET these are the chemical names for DEET: (N, N, diethyl-meta-toluamide or N, N Diethyl-3- benzamide).
These are the other CDC recommendations, picaridin (piperidinecarboxylic acid 2- (2-hydroxyethyl) also known as KBR 3023, IR3535 Ethyl butyl-acetyl-amino-propionate), oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-3, 8 diol (PMD) or 2-undecane derived from natural materials.
Information regarding the percentage of the active ingredient is on the label to aid as a general guideline for the duration period of protection. The higher the percentage of the active ingredient the longer the duration of the protection time. Repellent brand formulations vary from one another therefore, the application amount and frequency of application will vary. Reading each label is especially important prior to purchasing or using a repellent. So be sure to read all labels carefully and never over-apply. For example, repellents with greater than 30 percent of an active ingredient do not give you more protection. Overapplication can increase your chances of experiencing the product’s side effects.
Repellents do not provide the same protection for all users. Repellent effectiveness depends on which mosquito species are biting, the level of physical activity of the person wearing the repellent (personal perspiration/sweat levels and the amount of carbon dioxide exhaled are individual and both are strong attractants for mosquitoes). Please, follow the instructions for correct application and remember to properly reapply the product often for the best protection. Do not over-apply, more is not better.
To avoid and prevent the unnecessary inhalation of insect repellent during the application process make sure to apply it outdoors or in a good, ventilated area. Only apply repellent to bare exposed skin. Never apply repellent near the mouth, eyes, over open cuts/wounds, or on sunburned or irritated skin. Never spray repellent on your face. Instead, spray or place a small amount in the palm of your hand, then carefully and gently apply to areas of your face away from the eyes and mouth. Be certain to wash your hands thoroughly after the application. Never apply repellent under clothing. There are special repellents made specifically for clothing. After returning indoors after your outdoor outing make certain to wash off the repellent.
Important: The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend the use of DEET or repellents for children younger than 2 months old. Avoid exposing your baby to mosquitoes. If you must take your baby outside, dress them in protective clothing or carefully cover the stroller with protective approved netting. Remember to follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions when using protective netting.
Do not use repellent products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) on children under 3 years old.
For children choose a repellent with 10% – 30% concentration of DEET. Use lower concentrations (10%) if the child is outdoors only an hour or two. If they are outdoors longer, consider using a repellent with up to 30% DEET which can last approximately 5 hours. Remember for children only apply a repellent with DEET no more than once a day. Therefore, do not use a specific product that contains a combination of both sunscreen and DEET. Sunscreen products need to be reapplied more frequently and DEET only applied to a child only once a day. Also, do not apply repellent to a child’s bare hands because they could swallow it if they place their hands into or near their mouths.
As you embark on your next outdoor excursion, one should understand that Beach Mosquito Control District is doing their best to protect you and your family from potential mosquito-borne disease/outbreaks by monitoring and controlling local mosquito populations.
Personal protection against mosquito bites begins with you.
Remember… Repellent = Responsibility!
We encourage all residents and visitors in our local area to contact the professionals at Beach Mosquito Control District. We are local government and tax base supported. Use either method to place a customer request by phone (850) 233-5030 or online at www.pcbeachmosquito.org. We care about your health and take pride in our prompt response time and resolution to all your mosquito concerns. You can count on our environmentally friendly science-based technology to control and protect our local area’s public health from the bite of the mosquito.
Beach Mosquito Control District has been proudly serving the local area for over 70 years from the Hathaway Bridge, west to the South Walton County line and south of the intercoastal waterway to the beaches. Remember, these are your tax dollars hard at work and we would like to encourage you to contact us for all your mosquito concerns. There is never a charge for our services.
