'Tick Talk': Patchogue Library Hosts Informational On Lyme Bug

PATCHOGUE, NY — The Patchogue-Medford Library will serve as a venue for a new "tick-talk" initiative by the Suffolk County health department.

Health officials are seeking to supply local communities with more information on tick safety, and the effort got under way Thursday across the county.

The date is still to be determined for when exactly the informational meeting is coming to the Patchogue-Medford Library, but the location is set to be a part of the presentations, which will be held by health department staffers during the rest of the summer across 10 local libraries in Suffolk County.

Participants can expect to learn about ticks most common in the area, as well as the possible diseases caused by the insect, prevention methods and proper tick removal techniques, Riverhead Local reported.

In 2017 alone, Suffolk County reported 523 cases of Lyme Disease, the most common the tick-borne diseases.

As with any health problem, prevention should be the first line of defense.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends treating clothing, shoes and camping gear with permethrin. You can apply a bug repellent that's registered by the Environmental Protection Agency and should avoid wooded or bushy areas with high grass and leaves.

Moreover, you should always check clothing and animals when going back indoors, and shower soon thereafter. Ticks are known to be found under the arms, in and around ears, in the belly button, groin area, back of the knees and even around the hair.