With summer approaching, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reminds residents to take recommended commonsense precautions to keep everyone, especially young children, safe this summer.
Prevent tick bites
Certain kinds of ticks can bite and make you sick with diseases like lyme disease and powassan virus. Ticks are most commonly found in damp, grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, including your own backyard.
Follow these steps to help protect yourself from tick bites
Use tick repellents with an EPA-registered active ingredient; always follow the directions on the label.
Weather permitting, wear long-sleeved, light-colored shirts and long pants tucked into socks. This will help keep ticks away from your skin and make it easier to spot ticks on your clothing.
After spending time outdoors, a shower can help rinse off a tick before it becomes attached and putting your clothes in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes can help kill ticks.
Check for ticks once a day; if you find an attached tick, remove it promptly using fine tweezers or a tick removal tool.
Pets that spend time outdoors are exposed to ticks, too, and may bring ticks back inside. Talk to your veterinarian about the best ways to protect animals from ticks and tick-borne disease.
Prevent mosquito bites
There were four human cases of the mosquito-borne disease Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and 18 of West Nile virus (WNV) in Massachusetts last year. The risk for human infection of EEE or WNV starts to increase in mid to late summer and DPH posts updates about local risk throughout the season on the Massachusetts Arbovirus Update page.
To prepare for mosquito season:
Drain standing water in and around your house or yard to prevent mosquito breeding.
Repair window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out of your home.
Use a mosquito repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient according to the directions.
Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks to reduce exposed skin when weather permits.
For more information about preventing mosquito and tickborne illness, visit DPH’s Mosquitoes and Ticks page.
Water, pool safety
Drowning is a leading cause of death among young children, nationally and in Massachusetts.
To help prevent water-related injury and drowning:
Only swim at or within designated swimming areas. Swimming outside of the designated swimming areas, or at waterfronts where swimming is prohibited, can be dangerous.
Keep a close eye on children near the water. Parents and other guardians serve as the first and primary line of safety for their children.
Use the buddy system and always tell someone where you are going.
Teach children to always ask permission before going near the water.
Do not dive headfirst into the water.
Do not swim during a storm or when there is lightning.
Do not swim beyond your skillset.
For those who cannot swim, keep to shallow areas or use a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. DPH, in cooperation with the USCG, has created a fit test video that can assist with proper fit testing of life jackets: youtu.be/1I3VZf-NqPc.
Do not use toys such as water wings or noodles in place of life jackets. These are not designed to keep swimmers safe.
Enroll children in swimming lessons. Each year, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) provides free swimming lessons to children at select pools across the state in July and August through the Learn to Swim program. DCR will open registration for its Learn to Swim program on June 14.
If caught in a rip current, do not swim against it. Swim parallel to the shoreline to escape it and then at an angle toward the beach.
If a person in your group goes missing, check the water and notify lifeguards and park staff immediately.
Look for signage at beaches. DPH collects beach water quality data and notifies the public about bacteria levels to minimize swimming-associated illness and injury.
Sun, heat protection
Climate change is increasing the number, as well as the intensity, of extreme heat events in Massachusetts. High temperatures and increased sun exposure mean that additional precautions should be taken when spending time outside, either recreationally or on the job, to reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
Seek shade and take breaks from the sun throughout the day. Use air conditioning if available — otherwise, use fans, take cool showers, or visit public cooling centers.
Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Drinks like coffee and soda that contain caffeine may dehydrate, so they should be followed with water.
Wear sunglasses, sunscreen (SPF of at least 30) 15 to 20 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours, and wear protective clothing to avoid sunburn.
When possible, limit outdoor activities during the hottest hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), seek shade and wear light, breathable clothing.
Check for Heat-Related Symptoms, including unusually heavy sweating, shortness of breath, dizziness, and more.
Avoid outdoor activity when air quality is low. An air quality monitoring map is available on the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection page.
Food safety
Summer is peak season for foodborne illnesses when germs start to grow in food that is left out in the heat during outdoor activities like cookouts, picnics, or travel. Steps toprevent foodborne illnesses:
Wash hands and surfaces often. Do not handle or serve food while sick.
Do not cross-contaminate. Keep raw food separate from cooked foods. Wear gloves or use utensils when handling ready-to-eat foods.
Cook to proper temperatures and refrigerate promptly.
Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Cold foods can be left out for up to 6 hours but must be discarded after that. Hot foods can be left out atroom temperature for up to 4 hours and then thrown away.
If you suspect you have become ill after eating food prepared outside of a private home (e.g., from a restaurant) or after attending a party or event, report it on the ReportMy Meal page.
Car safety
Leaving children and animals inside a vehicle can be very dangerous. In the summer months in New England, the temperature in a closed car can rise quickly, and the vehicle canbecome a deadly place for a child or animal left in it, even for just a moment.
To keep young children and animals safe in and around cars:
Never leave children or animals alone in a parked vehicle, even when they are asleep or restrained and even if the windows are open.
Always check inside the vehicle – front and back – before locking the door and walking away.
If a child is missing, check your vehicle first, including the trunk.
Do things to remind yourself that a child or animal is in the vehicle, such as placing your purse or briefcase in the back seat, so you will check therewhen you leave the vehicle.
Always lock your car and keep the keys out of children’s reach.
If you see a child or animal alone in a hot vehicle, call the police. If they are in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible and call 911 immediately.
All children ages 12 and under should always ride in the back seat, properly restrained. Infants and toddlers should remain in rear-facing car seats until they reach the highestweight or height allowed by their car safety seat manufacturer. More information on child passenger safety is available on DPH’s Transportation Safety website.