Protect yourself: Prevent Chikungunya

Staff Writer – Latoya Wakefield

Health news. Prevention is better than cure especially when that cure is the future. Presently, there is no known cure for the mosquito borne viral disease, Chikungunya.  Naturally, you recover after a few days. However, joint pain will persist for months for some people.

So if you haven’t been “shot” already, it’s in your best interest to take every precaution necessary to possibly prevent getting the virus.

Here are a few pointers on how to protect yourself from getting shot by Chik. V:

• Prevent Mosquito Bites :
• Mosquitoes which spread Chikungunya bite during the daytime.
• Protect yourself from mosquito bites :
  • Wear light coloured clothing and cover your body as much as possible
  • Use mosquito repellents containing DEET on exposed skin
  • Use mosquito coils and electric vaporization mats both day and night
  • Use mosquito nets
  • Use door and window screens (mesh)
  • Prevent Mosquito Breeding
  • Mosquitoes live and breed in standing water in and around the home.
  • Do your part by preventing mosquito breeding:
    • Cover all drums, tanks, barrels and buckets that are used to store water
    • Get rid of all old tyres, tins, bottles, plastic containers, coconut shells and anything in which rain water settles
    • Cover trash containers to keep out rain water
    • Punch holes in the bottom of tins before placing them in the garbage
    • Keep flower pot saucers dry and avoid over-watering potted plants.
      

      Photo courtesy www.yourarticlelibrary.com

• Prevent Mosquito Breeding

• Mosquitoes live and breed in standing water in and around the home.

• Do your part by preventing mosquito breeding:

• Cover all drums, tanks, barrels and buckets that are used to store water

• Get rid of all old tyres, tins, bottles, plastic containers, coconut shells and anything in which rain water settles

• Cover trash containers to keep out rain water

• Punch holes in the bottom of tins before placing them in the garbage

• Keep flower pot saucers dry and avoid over-watering potted plants

• Empty and scrub flower vases twice weekly

• Empty and wash pets’ water containers twice weekly

• Keep house plants in damp soil instead of water.

Courtesy of http://jis.gov.jm/tips/chikungunya-chik-fact-sheet/

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