Record number of tick bites: know what to do

Due to the warm weather, there are a lot of ticks around this summer. The RIVM even recorded a record number of tick bites during the hot spell at the end of June. Ticks are not only found in woods and nature reserves, but also in parks and in your own garden.

Check yourself for ticks

Have you been out in the countryside, for example in the woods, a park or your garden? If so, check your skin for ticks afterwards. Pay particular attention to warm and damp areas, such as:

Behind the ears
Under the armpits
In the backs of the knees
Around the groin
On your tummy or back
On the scalp

The sooner you remove a tick, the lower the risk of contracting Lyme disease.

How to remove a tick

Have you found a tick? If so, remove it as soon as possible.

Use a pair of pointed tweezers or a tick remover.
Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
Gently pull the tick straight up.
Disinfect the cut afterwards.
Make a note of the date of the tick bite.

Do not use alcohol, oil, soap or any other substances before removing the tick.

When should you contact your GP?

Please contact your GP if:

It is not possible to remove the tick completely.
A red or ring-shaped patch appears within a few weeks or months and gets bigger.
You may experience symptoms such as a fever, headache, muscle ache, joint pain or tiredness.

Would you like to find out more about tick bites, Lyme disease and what to do after a bite? Then take a look at the information at GPinfo.nl or Drawing Radar.