Non-profit, Center for Lyme Action, issues a call-to-action with Lyme Moonshot strategy.
In a world, where Lyme disease is so prevalent, can we hope to eradicate the disease by 2030? Center for Lyme Action co-founder, Bonnie Crater believes we can. Likening the focus required to that of President Kennedy’s declaration that we would land on the moon within a decade, Crater notes, “With the right focus, the country can meet that challenge.”
The First Step in a Federal Fight Against Lyme Disease
In December 2019, President Trump signed the Kay Hagan Tick Act into law. This bi-partisan effort was introduced after Senator Kay Hagan died from complications of a tick-borne illness. Bonnie Crater believes that this law has laid the essential foundation for furthering federal funding to eliminate Lyme disease by 2030. Federal money would go toward better understanding Lyme, vaccine development, and better early diagnostics.
What is the toll of Lyme?
Center for Lyme Action believes there are up to 2 million chronic Lyme sufferers in the United States. They believe the potential economic cost of Lyme disease exceeds $75 billion. Lyme is non-biased, and affects people of all ages, all walks of life. Due to the territorial expansion of tick populations, Center for Lyme Action says that ALL Americans should be worried about Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. We can no longer say that tick-borne diseases are only happening in the Northeast or Southeast. Climate change and deforestation are two of the contributing factors of expanding tick populations.
Also read: Is Lyme disease curable?
How can we eliminate Lyme by 2030?
The Lyme Moonshot initiative declares that accelerating efforts to diagnose, treat, and prevent the disease are necessary to eliminate Lyme by the end of the decade. Center for Lyme Action is asking for the formation of a new White House office, called TICK (Tick-borne Innovation, Collaboration, and Knowledge). This new office would work to harness science and technology to step up the fight against Lyme and other tick-borne diseases by joining forces in the private sector, healthcare providers, and research institutions.
Lyme prevention is here now with professional tick control.
Central Mass enthusiast for effective season-long mosquito and tick protection
Current Lyme prevention is available now, and until we have achieved elimination, we must utilize the tools we have. The most important facet in Lyme prevention is at-home tick control. Professional tick control companies offer “in-season” tick barrier spray, as well as fall and winter tick tubes, which are deployed to control the emerging population in the spring. Reputable tick control companies also offer all-natural tick repellent formulas. Until tick-borne diseases no longer exist, we must be vigilant in helping prevent their spread.