The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning on the increase in tick bite-related emergency room visits. The warning comes as Pfizer is separately pushing its vaccine against Lyme disease.
According to the CDC, emergency room visits for tick bites are “higher than normal in many parts of the country right now.” In all regions except the South Central United States, weekly rates of ER visits for tick bites are the “highest for this time of year since 2017.”
The agency encouraged Americans to take steps to prevent tick bites and to address them promptly if bitten.
“Tick season is here and these tiny biters can make you seriously sick. The good news is you have options to help prevent tick bites when you spend time outdoors: You can wear EPA-registered insect repellent and permethrin-treated clothing, do tick checks, and remove attached ticks as quickly as possible,” said Alison Hinckley, PhD, epidemiologist and Lyme disease expert with CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases. “These simple steps can go a long way in protecting you and your family from diseases spread by ticks. And if you develop a rash or fever in the days to weeks after a bite, or after being in an area with ticks, seek medical care promptly.”
Meanwhile, Pfizer and its partner Valneva announced that their Lyme disease vaccine did not meet the target in a clinical trial, but are still seeking its approval.
According to the companies, the “fact that the 95% confidence interval lower bound was above 20 in the second pre-specified analysis” gave Pfizer confidence in the inoculation.
