Town Supports Fight Against Lyme Disease

By Kendra Bobowick

 “I feel compelled to speak on what we feel is a health crisis,” Maggie Shaw told Legislative Council members October 1. Ms Shaw, Lyme Disease Task Force co-chair, urged them to “make a public health plan to stop tick-borne disease.”

The task force members want the town’s support, and this week, officials responded.

Tuesday, First Selectman Joe Borst met with Newtown Health Director Donna Culbert and Land Use Deputy Director Rob Sibley, and later explained, “We’re going to put together a committee to set up an action plan.” Asking that Ms Culbert and Mr Sibley soon provide an outline of “where we’re going,” Mr Borst said he wants to answer “how and where to proceed with deer management,” as one objective. Overall he wants to “cover everything, education, everything,” he stressed. The first selectman also realizes the town’s deer management is just one step. “It’s going to have to be a totally encompassing program; education, property checks, and checking ourselves for ticks,” he said.

Both Mr Sibley and Ms Culbert are prepared to help.

“I think that [the Lyme disease task force] has lifted this back up to an issue people need to talk about,” said Mr Sibley. “I think we’ve hit a good point of understanding that there is a problem.” How to “approach deer management” and how to “approach Lyme” are two goals the emerging committee will pursue, Ms Culbert said.

In coming weeks Mr Borst would like to see a list of individuals that would make good candidates for appointment to the action group. The results of Tuesday morning’s meeting with Mr Borst left Mr Sibley with a working group title of Deer Action Ad-Hoc Task Force, he said. A proposal by task force member Dave Shugarts reflects what he imagines the group should do. “The task force should consist of town employees … and interested citizens,” and should focus primarily on three areas — education and awareness, tick bite prevention, and deer overpopulation. “It’s time,” he said.

 

Making Their Case

Do others feel threatened by the potential dangers of contracting diseases from tick bites? Mr Shugarts answered, “They think they have heard enough, or know all they need to know, but like [Ms Shaw] says, ‘Nobody ‘gets it’ until they get it.’” He told selectmen last week, “The Board of Selectmen should appoint a task force to address the interlocking problems of tick-borne diseases in Newtown, and a serious overpopulation of deer.” His wish was granted.

Culling the deer is a solution that “we’re not happy with, but it reduces the deer population,” he said. In remarks he provided through email, Mr Shugarts said, “Even though no one starts out wishing any harm to the deer,” the animal’s role in the Lyme disease equation is critical. In a statement he provided to selectmen last week, he said, “There is a deer problem in Newtown and this would still be true” even without the tick-related illnesses. The aim of deer control is to “reduce the density of deer below a threshold level at which deer are not able to help the ticks complete their life cycle.”

What does he believe the town needs to do? Begin controlled hunting, establish a deer warden, resume memberships and alliances with Fairfield County Deer Management Alliance, for example, and assess the deer population and reduction. In his appeal to the selectmen he states, “Controlled hunting should be initiated as soon as possible on town lands, and the town should enlist the help of the owners of other lands where the deer are found.”

Mr Borst quickly agreed that deer culling might be one measure of reducing tick populations and related diseases. He said, “You cut back on deer you cut back on the ticks.”

Does Newtown have a tick problem? In past days, Ms Shaw had asked an ominous question. “How many of you here don’t know someone with Lyme disease?” she asked the council on October 1. No one raised a hand. “Okay,” she said.

She later added, “No one raises their hand anymore.” With that image in mind, she asked, “What is the impact on our children?” Ms Shaw was diagnosed with Lyme in 1999 — the year the task force began — when little was known about the illness.

The Newtown Health District has information available about Lyme disease. One flyer offers photos and descriptions of blacklegged, lone star, and American dog ticks, warning, “Some ticks can transmit more than one pathogen. Recognize the symptoms.” The flyer states, “People of all ages can be infected. There is no vaccine currently available to prevent Lyme disease or most other tick-borne diseases, so early detection and treatment are important. Early detection and treatment can prevent more serious illness. Early symptoms can include fever, headache, fatigue, and a rash.”

The flyer offers tips to avoid tick bites: Avoid areas with a lot of ticks such as wooded or bushy areas; keep ticks off your skin using insect repellent; wear long sleeves, socks, and long pants; perform tick checks. To safely remove ticks, use tweezers, grab the tick close to the skin and gently pull straight up until all parts of the tick are removed. Do not twist as parts of the tick may remain in the skin.

Learn more about ticks and measures to prevent contact with them at cdc.gov/lyme. Also visit the health district’s “It’s Time To beat Lyme” page with information on Lyme disease at Newtown-ct.gov.