Ticks and Lyme Disease

As everyone gets out and about this summer we want to help spread the word about the Ticks and Lyme disease awareness campaign run by the UKHSA. This year there have been higher than normal incidents of tick bites and tick-borne infections locally. Tick activity increases during spring, peaking during April to June each year when the number of tick bites is the highest.

Activities in areas such as green spaces, particularly in grassy and wooded areas in the countryside increase the risk of being bitten by a tick. Being bitten does not necessarily mean you will definitely get Lyme disease as not all ticks carry the bacteria, but awareness and prompt removal is a good way to reduce risk. UKHSA  has created a leaflet with some key messages on how to spot and remove ticks or symptoms of Lyme disease.

This is one of the occasions when getting to A&E and being seen by a specialist can be an important move. Don't shy away from our beautiful countryside, but please take care out there.