|
|
KDHE announces 'Fight the Bite' poster contestKansas The Kansas Department of Health and Environment today announced the deadline of April 5 for the 2010 "Fight the Bite" poster contest, which is open to all fifth and sixth graders in the U.S. The contest encourages students to use art to show the ways they can protect themselves and their families from the diseases spread by mosquitoes, ticks and fleas by using repellent while outdoors. Two winners from each state--one fifth grader and one sixth grader--will receive a $50 U.S. Savings Bond and award certificate. The national grand-prize winners--one from each grade--will receive a $1,000 U.S. Savings Bond, a plaque and an all-expenses-paid trip to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offices and labs in Fort Collins, Colo. "This contest helps children learn about protecting themselves and their families from insect bites while creating their posters," stated Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, state health officer and director of the KDHE Division of Health. "Kansas was proud to be the home of the sixth-grade grand-prize winner in 2009, and we look forward to this year's entries." People can reduce their risk of mosquito and tick-borne diseases by taking the following precautions: --Use insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin on skin. Follow label directions. --Wear protective clothing when practical (long sleeves and pants). Clothing should be light-colored to make ticks more visible. When hiking, wear a long-sleeved shirt tucked into pants, long pants tucked into high socks, and over-the-ankle shoes to keep ticks out. --Empty standing water from tarps, old tires, buckets and other places where rainwater is trapped. Use larvicide in low-lying areas where water cannot be removed. Refresh water for bird baths, pet bowls and wading pools at least every three days. --Limit outdoor activities at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. --Regularly mow lawns and cut brush. Ticks like to hide in overgrown, shady areas. --When hiking, walk in the middle of trails, away from tall grass and bushes.
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2012. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |
|
