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The United States will see an increasing number of travel-related cases of the Zika virus, as the epidemic continues to spread.
Among them will likely be pregnant women, the population most vulnerable to the devastating affects of the virus.
Read more: CDC recommends pregnant women not travel to these countries
Apart from condoms and abstinence, the CDC says the best way to protect against the disease is to avoid mosquito bites. And as temperatures and mosquito populations rise, municipalities will have to examine their mosquito abatement policies.
According to a report from Consumer Reports, ‘The CDC emphasizes that avoiding mosquito bites requires multiple strategies, such as wearing long-sleeved pants and shirts when outdoors. But it says that mosquito repellents are essential, too.’
“Using an insect repellent is one of the best ways you can protect yourself from Zika and other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes,’ Harry Savage, chief of ecology and entomology activity at the CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, told CR.
And Consumer Reports’ tests found that ‘some repellents worked much better than others at protecting against the type of mosquitoes that transmit Zika.’
Consumer Reports recommends skipping products made with natural plant oils. Here’s why: None lasted for more than 1 hour against Aedes mosquitoes, and some failed almost immediately. In addition, those products are not registered by the Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates skin-applied repellents and evaluates them for safety and effectiveness.
Repellents with 30% deet: CR’s tests show that repellents with concentrations of 30% deet provide the same protection against mosquitoes as higher percentages for up to 8 hours. But do not use these products on infants younger than two months.
Women who are pregnant or breast feeding can safely use deet, picaridin, lemon eucalyptus, and IR3535, according to the EPA, if they are applied properly.
Here are the products recommended by Consumer Reports:
See the full list of repellent products tested by Consumer Reports here.
Here are tips from the EPA on how to use insect repellent effectively:
Read more: How to prevent Zika virus
This post was last modified on March 22, 2017 1:07 pm
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