A Lyme Prevention Forum

To the Editor:

 The Newtown Lyme Disease Task Force encourages residents concerned about the spread of Lyme disease to circle next Tuesday, December 18, on their calendars. The state is holding a Lyme Disease Prevention Forum at the Legislative Office Building, Room 1D, from 10 am to noon.

Chairs of the Public Health Committee, Representative Peggy Sayers and Senator Mary Ann Handley, are gathering the scientists and researchers responsible for Connecticut’s programs to date. Your state representatives are invited to join in this meeting and ask the questions that concern their constituents.

Many of you regularly express concern to us that Lyme disease has spread unchecked throughout our state for the past 30 years. You tell us how devastating this illness has been for your family and friends. Residents who have avoided Lyme are clearly aware that living in Connecticut, the most infected state in the nation, it is just a matter of time. How serious is the problem? According to Department of Public Health Commissioner Robert Galvin, Connecticut doctors saw so much illness in 2006, they ordered 69,000 Lyme tests from Quest Labs.

Please use this opportunity to let your governor and your state representatives know that this level of illness is unacceptable. If you don’t care enough about your family’s health to do something about it, they won’t either. Attendance will make a strong statement, but letters of concern are taken seriously. Eradication of tick-borne diseases would be a wonderful gift to give our state this holiday season. Addresses and emails are available through the state website: www.CT.gov. If you have questions, please call the Newtown Lyme Disease Task Force at 270-3301

Maggie Shaw

Newtown Lyme Disease Task Force

82 Eden Hill Road, Newtown                          December 11, 2007