Precautions to avoid mosquito bites include:
• Minimize time outdoors at dusk and dawn
• Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair
• Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts. Clothing material should be tightly woven.
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors
• Consider using mosquito repellent when it is necessary to be outdoors and always use them according to label instructions. The most effective repellents contain DEET or Picaridin.
• When using DEET, use the lowest concentration effective for the time spent outdoors (for example, 6% lasts approximately 2 hours and 20% for 4 hours) and wash treated skin when returning indoors. Do not apply under clothing, to wounds or irritated skin, the hands of children, or to infants less than 2 months.
Measures to reduce mosquitoes around the home include:
• Dispose of water-holding containers, such as ceramic pots, used tires, tire swings
• Drill holes in the bottom of containers such as those used for recycling
• Clean clogged roof gutters
• Turn over objects that may trap water when not in use such as wading pools and wheelbarrows
• Change water in bird baths on a weekly basis
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, and when not in use, pool covers
• Use landscaping to eliminate areas where water can collect on your property.
Additional resources for information on West Nile virus and mosquito management:
• The Department of Public Health website at www.dph.state.ct.us
• The Department of Environmental Protection website at www.ct.gov/dep
• The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Web site at www.ct.gov/caes
• The Department of Agriculture Web site at www.ct.gov/doag
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov