Zika has arrived on our shores, and the number of local infections is continuing to grow. Thankfully, companies like SpringStar are doing incredible work developing innovative tools to stop the spread of Zika. It's more important than ever that Congress provide the resources to deploy these technologies to the communities who need them.
mosquitoes were using my ankles as filling stations.
Growing up in Bloomington, Minn., I loved the ritual of dressing for Little League - in white socks, blue stirrups, belted pants, a double-knit jersey, and the cap I'd hold over my face to screen out mosquitoes in right field.
I would take all the precautions, I'm going to bring my natural remedies, keep the mosquitoes away naturally and I'm going to bring my DEET. I'm going to do my part. And again, it's something, when a baby is involved you don't want to take any risks. So I would just exercise a lot of caution and do my part and then get tested and go for it.
A group of scientists wanted to find the most effective mosquito repellents. So they tested 10 different substances, including campout standbys like DEET, as well as a random choice: Victoria's Secret perfume Bombshell. Turns out the perfume is almost as good as DEET.
You don't want to be outside during blackfly season.
Thanks to malaria elimination efforts in United States in the 1940s, most people in the U.S. today have never had any direct contact with the disease, and most doctors have never seen a case. That success means it's easy to have a relaxed attitude about protecting ourselves.
I stayed with a family in the bush in Alaska and there were absolutely swarms of mosquitos. The crew were wearing full body nets but the family weren't, so I decided that if I was going to do things properly I wouldn't wear them either. I was eaten alive!