It’s true: you can prevent Lyme’s Disease.
That’s the good news. It’s no secret that Martha’s Vineyard is known for its abundance of ticks and the disease - brought on by wide open spaces and forests that make deer, mice and ticks plentiful and the fact that island temps rarely dip below freezing which renders the ticks actionless.
A new group, the Martha’s Vineyard Lyme Disease Association (MLVDA), has recently formed and includes business people, health officials and residents - all interested in protecting islanders and the wonderful tourists that fill our island all summer.
So, how is Lyme’s preventable? It takes 24-72 hours for a tick carrying Lyme’s to transfer the disease to a person - so if people do regular tick checks everyday, they’ll be able to avoid the disease.
This is certainly a rule in our household. It’s so easy to check yourself or have someone else check you - and so worth it.
The MVLDA will be spreading this word around the island - so expect to see reminders and more safety tips appear before your eyes…even at local restaurants, hotels and shops.
