How to Avoid Mosquito Bites and Take the Bite Out of Being Bitten
Even though the fall season is right around the corner, it will continue to feel like summer in Florida with very warm temperatures, extremely high humidity, and rain almost every day. These weather conditions make our beautiful tropical paradise into the ideal breeding ground for swarms of mosquitoes. And with so many different activities, holidays, and gatherings leading both residents and visitors to spend a lot of time outdoors this time of year, the sharp rise in mosquitoes means a higher risk of mosquito bites.
Unfortunately, mosquito bites are no longer a small, harmless annoyance. They could actually endanger your life since being bitten by certain mosquitoes can transmit life-threatening viruses like the Zika, West Nile, dengue, and Chikungunya virus. Public health officials are reminding Florida residents and visitors to protect themselves from mosquitoes and to immediately seek professional mosquito bite treatment if needed. While these diseases are very dangerous, you don’t have to be a victim. There is currently no vaccine for humans for these serious mosquito-borne viruses, so you simply need to take a few smart precautions to avoid mosquito exposure and know where to go in case you get bitten.
Following are eight simple steps to help you avoid mosquito bites. But in case you’re accidentally bitten, you don’t need to suffer the long waits and high costs of visiting the emergency room or your primary care physician for mosquito bite treatment. Instead, you can receive a convenient and affordable blood test for mosquito-borne illness at urgent care center locations near you.
You can rely on MD Now Urgent Care for testing for mosquito-borne illness, as well as insect bites treatment and all kinds of medical care. Since all MD Now locations are open convenient hours and with no appointment necessary, you’re able to receive a quick and economical blood test for mosquito-borne illness at urgent care clinics almost any time. And remember that you can receive West Nile, dengue and Chikungunya virus testing, along with Zika testing at urgent care.
By thinking ahead and using some basic common sense, you can increase your chance of avoiding a dangerous mosquito bite. Each mosquito deterrent below can help protect you from mosquito bites and the viruses they may carry.
8 Ways to Avoid Mosquito Bites
- When you plan to spend time outdoors, be sure to wear clothing that fully covers your arms, legs, feet, and overall body. Some companies even make mosquito deterrent clothing that has repellent included in the fabric for additional protection.
- Before going outdoors, use an insect repellent that contains 20%–30% DEET. This level of DEET is safe for adults, children, the elderly, and pregnant women. Remember to reapply the insect repellent periodically while you’re outside, when you’ve been sweating, and after getting wet to ensure that you’re fully protected from mosquito bites.
- Search for standing water or puddles of water surrounding your home to reduce the amount of mosquito breeding sites around you. Also check your flower pots, pet food dishes, wading pools, buckets, tires, tarps, and any place near your home where water can collect.
- If you have a swimming pool, make sure to keep it properly maintained to prevent it from becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes and a danger to your health.
- If there is any standing water around your home, report it immediately to your local mosquito control department. You can find the contact information online, along with other helpful tips to help you protect yourself from mosquitoes and their various viruses.
- Keep all of the windows, doors, and screens throughout your home in very good condition. Check all of them on a regular basis for signs of warping, cracks, damage, and uneven seals. If any need to be repaired or replaced, make the necessary changes immediately to make sure they fit very tightly.
- Are you planning to travel? Depending on your destination, you may need to take certain precautions if you’re visiting a location that’s experiencing an outbreak or simply puts you at risk for the West Nile, Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya virus. Make sure to check with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or an immunization travel clinic before proceeding with your trip. These organizations can explain the specific precautions you need to take to avoid putting yourself at risk for these life-threatening viruses.
- Clean your birdbath every two or three days to prevent mosquito eggs from adhering to the sides and bottom.
MD Now Is Your Source for the Highest-Quality Care
Discover the caring, convenient, and cost-efficient treatment that can always be found at MD Now. All of our locations operate on a walk-in, no-appointment basis with hours to conveniently suit your schedule. With 31 locations throughout Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties, quality care is always within your reach. For the Florida locations nearest you, visit https://dev-www-mymdnow-com.mdgadvertising.com/locations.
To learn more about our urgent care centers, call 888-MDNow-911 or visit www.MDNow.com.
MD Now® Urgent Care Walk-In Medical Centers is the leading provider of fast and affordable urgent care to adults and children in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties. Our state-of-the-art, walk-in medical centers are open seven days a week to deliver an affordable and convenient alternative to long emergency room wait times and the limited hours of family physicians. No appointment is necessary and major insurance plans are accepted. In addition to providing a comprehensive range of urgent care services to treat a variety of illnesses and injuries, our multiple locations offer digital x-rays, EKG, lab testing, physicals, immunizations, vaccines, occupational medicine, travel medicine and selected primary care services. Find the medical care you need with the convenience you want at MD Now. Call: 888-MDNow-911, online: www.MDNow.com.