With the warmer weather approaching, your family is likely more eager than ever to get outside, but given COVID-19 precautions, your options may be limited to your backyard.
NORTH ATTLEBORO, MA_We have received several inquiries about whether mosquitoes and ticks can transmit the new coronavirus. Fortunately, to date there has been no information nor evidence to suggest that COVID-19 could be transmitted by either pest.
According to the World Health Organization and the CDC, the new coronavirus is a respiratory virus which spreads primarily through droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. Any virus that a mosquito or tick would transmit to a human must first survive and replicate inside these pests’ systems.
According to Zach Adelman, professor in the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University, “There is no evidence that a coronavirus can survive being digested by a mosquito, let alone transmitted to another person.”
In short, you can protect yourself from the coronavirus by cleaning your hands frequently with an alcohol-based hand rub or washing them with soap and water, and by avoiding close contact with other people rather than mosquitoes and ticks.
That said, stay-at-home orders and the many precautions humanity is taking to deal with COVID-19 has led many of us to prefer social distancing while also enjoying some fresh air. Be aware that this extra outdoor time will increase exposure to mosquito and tick bites, and the viruses and pathogens they do transmit, such as West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease. To reduce these risks, wearing long pants and sleeves and using insect repellent are helpful practices. Light-colored clothing also makes it easier to spot ticks, and tucking your pant legs into socks and boots help create a barrier to your skin.
For extra protection – especially relevant if you live close to wooded areas or ponds and lakes – have an invisible shield applied to your backyard that masks scents from humans to repel mosquitoes from the area. For more information on this solution, visit https://moshield.com/how-it-works/.
