Officials Gear Up To Educate Georgians On Zika, Mosquitoes

With warmer weather finally reaching the southern United States, conditions are getting friendlier for mosquitoes that can carry the Zika virus. A new report modeling the seasonal abundance of virus-carrying mosquitoes in American cities rates Atlanta at moderate risk beginning around June.

 

Summertime weather combined with the number of people traveling from Zika-affected places could mean there’s an increased chance of more cases of the Zika virus in the U.S.

 

The traveler part matters, said Andrew Monaghan, a meteorologist with the National Center for Atmospheric Research. 

 

 

Monaghan said their models can’t account for mosquito-control methods, so how local communities prepare for the risks can make a difference.

 

Dr. Chris Rustin, director of Georgia’s Department of Environmental Health, said mosquitoes that carry Zika don’t respond well to traditional control spraying, so public engagement in getting rid of standing water will be key.

 

 

Rustin said the state will start rolling out Zika public service announcements in the next couple weeks.  He said they’ll encourage using EPA-registered mosquito repellant, cleaning up standing water around homes and businesses and the use of condoms for recent travelers to Zika-affected countries. 

 

In an emailed statement, city of Atlanta officials said they’ll be running an ad campaign shortly on Zika precautions at the airport and are partnering with Fulton County’s Department of Health and others to control the mosquito population. 

 

“The City’s Department of Public Works will pick up and dispose of illegally dumped tires left in public as a proactive measure to decrease the mosquito population. The first three dates for this program are April 16^th, 23^rd, and 28-30, 2016.”