West Nile virus is a very serious problem in many areas. It is important to do all you can to prevent it from becoming something you or a loved one has to deal with. If you are outdoors when there are mosquitoes about you need to make sure you have very powerful repellent on. You should reapply it every couple of hours for yourself and for children. Make sure it contains high levels of DEET in order for it to be effective as it needs to be against mosquitoes.
It is important to do all you can to prevent mosquitoes from coming into your home. If you keep the doors or the windows open due to the heat you need to make sure you have good screens on them. Repair any holes and replace screens where they may be coming in. There are also mosquito candles and repellers you can place on your porch to keep them away from your home. Fly strips work well to catch the few strays that may make it in as you open and close doors.
Most communities have effective means of spraying in order to control mosquitoes as well. They often do this spraying late at night and it works well. The problem though is that over time many mosquitoes become immune to what is being used. That means harsher chemicals have to be used to take care of them. Most communities will also provide the public with information should there be confirmed cases of West Nile in the area.
Mosquitoes lay hundreds of eggs in areas of water so try to eliminate them as well. If there are puddles in your drive way use a broom to move the water so it won’t pile up. Make sure you have effective drainage systems on your home as well. This way the water will drain from there and begin to seep into the ground instead of stagnating in a puddle.
The West Nile virus can make people of all ages very seriously ill. It can take months for a person to recover from it. Some people have too weak of an immune system to effectively fight it. Therefore it is essential that you are able to do your part to prevent mosquitoes from biting you in the first place.