Just a quick FYI to my friends in Alberta, Canada: Be careful out there...
Alberta issues Lyme disease warning
Posted By: NCCID on July 21, 2011
Calgary Herald, July 20, 2011
Infected ticks turn up in city, Edmonton
As health authorities urge Albertans to guard against Lyme disease after five infected ticks were found so far this year, a Calgary mother says she's frustrated her sick daughter hasn't been tested for the illness despite repeated requests.
The pinhead-sized ticks carrying the Borrellia burgdorferi bacteria that cause Lyme disease were spotted recently on four dogs and a cat, through Alberta's surveillance system, said the province's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Andre Corriveau.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Alberta+issues+Lyme+disease+warning/5129973/story.html
Canada is increasingly becoming an area of Lyme disease activity. What actions are the provinces taking to address this issue and make sure people are diagnosed and treated early?
You ask what actions the provinces are taking? NONE. I have never seen any kinds of warnings at public parks, golf courses, hiking trails. No where.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to meet a doctor who will admit to any kind of Lyme or co-infection. They all believe that it does not cross the border.
I do my part and harass the powers that be with letters, to no avail.
I even made posters for my favorite golf courses and they were not allowed to post them. I must submit them for bureaucratic approval. All I got was silence. Yes there is the occasional article/TV blurb. Horror stories and misinformation.
The problem lies with the Federal policy and the College of Physicians and Surgeons. They follow the IDSA to a tee. Asking the Provinces to deal with it individually is a another way of making 'it' go away.
There must be a public and health care nation wide campaign. A big fat expensive re-education for everyone. They did it for AIDS, H1N1, etc.
Why is it so hard for us to get our act together? Even Texas has passed progressive legislation.
Unfortunately Canada will always lag behind the States. We are waiting for you to change the IDSA because our government has no balls.
-Jess
Public parks depend on fees charged to visitors, at least state and federal parks, to 'stay alive'.
ReplyDeleteImagine how warnings about ticks being there would affect the amount of visitors.
Or----maybe not! In a CA state park in an endemic county families still spread their blankets out on the unmowed grassy areas, often near streams (how pretty!), and let their kids romp around bare-legged.
When having two choices (instant gratification or playing safe and dull) which will win?
Back on topic: An interesting discussion to be in on with the head honcho's and their lawyers would be:
1. Don't announce 'here be ticks' so revenue stays up
2. Have a lawsuit filed against the parks system because 'we weren't warned about ticks'?
Delicious.