COVID-19 and Pests: What You Need to Know
COVID-19 and Pests: What You Need to Know
In light of recent events, we’ve experienced an influx of calls from concerned clients regarding connections between pest infestations and Corona Virus (COVID-19). In response to these concerns, we wanted to take the time to provide some education on the situation at hand, with special reference to potential risks and safety precautions to take into consideration:
Unsanitary Conditions
Virus’ of this nature originate from livestock in a wet market due to unsanitary conditions. This is why Pest Control Operators stress proper sanitation as part of I. P. M. (Integrated Pest Management). I. P. M. places a precedence on preventative care which includes documenting unsanitary conditions (similar to the aforementioned) and providing guidelines on what needs to be done to correct the issues at hand. This can prevent these types of outbreaks from occurring at the source.
Protecting Your Immune System
However, once outbreaks have occurred, it is important to safeguard your immune system in every way possible. While we do not currently have any definitive studies on whether or not mice and rats can contract or carry COVID-19, they are often carriers of various, serious diseases including Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, Lassa Fever, Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis, and Salmonellosis. Contracting COVID-19 while your immune system is already compromised by another disease increases your chances of having a severe case of the virus. As such, keeping potential pest infestations at bay is imperative in order to best protect yourself and your family. At Pointe Pest Control, we believe it is our responsibility to prioritize your health and well-being during this time. We hope this information is of assistance.
Citations
Diseases Directly Transmitted by Rodents (2017) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases & The Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/diseases/direct.html (Accessed: March 2020).
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