With an upswing in cases of lyme disease, the Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health in New Brunswick says it was concerning to think about the abilities of physicians to diagnose lyme disease properly.
Speaking at the Ganong Nature Park outside of St. Stephen, which is listed as one of the high risk areas in New Brunswick for tick populations, Dr. Jennifer Russell says in conjuction with the New Brunswick Medical Society, they put together a lyme disease survey for physicians to get a base-line understanding of what people know right now.
“Are there gaps, and so what do we need to do with our messaging? What do we need to do with our strategy? So that’s really important information and it’s a really good question, and we are getting those answers. We will be using that information to form our strategy going forward.”
Dr. Russell says once you have been bitten by a tick, and show symptoms of lyme disease, getting treated early and the probability of cure are important issues to consider, “So that is why we highlight the messages about protecting yourself when going into the woods.”
She says prevention is the key when protecting yourself from tick bites and lyme disease, so when taking a trip into the woods, you should wear long sleeves and pants, closed-toed shoes, insect repellent containing DEET, and make sure to check yourself and your pets when you return.
