Suffolk County to Create Tick Control Advisory Committee
During its March 4 meeting, the Suffolk County Legislature unanimously passed a resolution creating a tick control advisory committee.
Sponsored by Suffolk County Deputy Presiding Officer Jay Schneiderman, the resolution creates a committee to advise the county’s division of vector control on developing a plan to reduce tick-borne illnesses in Suffolk County.
The committee will consist of 12 members, including local politicians and people knowledgeable in the area of tick control.
Schneiderman has consistently been an advocate for curtailing tick borne illnesses. In 2013, he sponsored a resolution that requires vector control to submit a yearly plan to reduce the incidence of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Under Schneiderman’s legislation, the yearly Suffolk County Vector Control plan would include a section on the steps being taken to reduce the incidence of tick-borne illnesses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 300,000 yearly cases of Lyme disease. There are 1,000 cases of West Nile virus per year making it 300 times more likely that a Suffolk County resident will contract Lyme disease than West Nile virus.
“A primary function of government is to protect the health and welfare of residents of Suffolk County,” Schneiderman said. “This committee will help vector control develop a plan to reduce the incidence of tick-borne illnesses.”