It seems that 2020 just keeps getting more…shall we say…interesting. Of course, the coronavirus is still here, and we can’t let our guard down about that. To make it more complicated, the CDC keeps adding more and more symptoms of COVID-19, and many of these symptoms overlap with other illnesses.

If you have a cough or fever, it’s hard to know if it’s COVID-19 or the flu until you get tested. But, wait, maybe it’s actually lyme disease.

Medical experts are warning that this summer could be a particularly bad tick season. We had a fairly mild winter, and that means that there might be even more ticks than usual. Combine that with many people spending months inside due to the coronavirus and being extra eager to go outside in nature, and things could get bad. Now that it’s warm outside, we need to be careful to protect ourselves from not just the coronavirus but also tick bites when we venture outside.

Watch the video below for more details about why summer 2020 could be a particularly back tick season.

 

Ticks can carry multiple diseases, including lyme disease, so it’s important to take precautions when you’re outside. This includes when you go for hiking, camping or even when you’re enjoying your own backyard.

Here are some precautions you and your family should take.

• Avoid walking in tall grass and other debris, like leaves. Stick to the middle of the trail.
• Use a tick-repellent.
• Wear clothes that are light colors.
• Check your entire body for ticks before you come inside, and don’t forget to check your pets too.
• Within 2 hours of coming inside, take a bath or a shower.

Some common symptoms of lyme disease that overlap with symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, chills, shortness of breath, diarrhea, headache, sore throat and loss of sense of taste or smell. Lyme disease can also have additional symptoms like a swollen bullseye-shaped rash that is red in color and swollen lymph nodes.

Symptoms for lyme disease can start anywhere from 2 days to 30 days after someone is bitten by a tick. It is important to see a doctor for treatment right away to prevent more severe symptoms from developing such as heart issues, neurological issues and arthritis, all of which wouldn’t appear until months later. While some people have no symptoms, for other people, Lyme disease can be fatal.

Do you and your family have plans to go hiking or camping this summer? What precautions will you take to keep your family safe?