R 293

2018 -- H 8296 Enacted 06/06/2018

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

SUPPORTING THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S "TICK FREE RHODE ISLAND" CAMPAIGN

Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Fogarty, Craven, Tanzi, and Knight

Date Introduced: June 06, 2018

WHEREAS, Rhode Island has the fourth highest rate of Lyme disease in the country with

over 900 cases reported each year; and

WHEREAS, Washington County consistently has the highest rate of Lyme disease in

Rhode Island; and

WHEREAS, Ticks in the state can carry Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis,

babesiosis, Powassan, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever; and

WHEREAS, Currently, there is no approved vaccine to prevent Lyme disease in people.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the RI Department of Health recommend

that Rhode Islanders take effective prevention measures against Lyme and other tick-borne

diseases including:

(1) Avoiding wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter;

(2) Walking in the center of trails;

(3) Wearing long pants and long sleeves whenever possible;

(4) Tucking pants into socks; and

(5) Wearing light colored clothing in order to see ticks more easily; and

WHEREAS, The three steps to reducing the risk of contracting Lyme and other Tick-

bourne diseases include:

(1) REPEL - When outdoors, use repellents containing 20-30 percent DEET, picaridin,

IR3535, some oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol, and follow the directions on the

package. Use products that contain permethrin on shoes and clothing;

(2) CHECK – Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (within 2 hours)

to wash off and more easily find ticks; Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-

length mirror to view all parts of your body; Examine gear and pets; Place clothing in a hot dryer

for ten minutes before washing them to kill any ticks; and

(3) REMOVE – By grasping an attached tick with tweezers as close as possible to the

attachment (skin) site, and pulling upward and out with a firm and steady pressure. If tweezers

are not available, use fingers shielded with tissue paper or rubber gloves; and

WHEREAS, Early diagnosis is helpful in successfully treating tick-borne diseases, and it

is important for people to contact a health care provider if they find a tick attached and are

experiencing any symptoms, including tiredness, body or muscle aches, joint pain, fever, rash,

stiff neck, and facial paralysis; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby supports the Rhode Island Department of Health's "Tick Free

Rhode Island " program and encourages Rhode Islanders of all ages to "Be a Tick Detective" and

"Repel, Check, and Remove" in order to protect themselves from Lyme disease and other tick-

borne diseases; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this House hereby encourages all the state's residents to join in

recognizing the importance of safeguards and early detection of Lyme disease by speaking with

their health care providers and visiting the Rhode Island Department of Health's webpage and the

University of Rhode Island's Tick Encounter Research Center webpage; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, Director of

the Rhode Island Department of Health.

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LC005852

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