Suffolk County: More mosquito spraying scheduled
Suffolk County has scheduled ground and aerial spraying this week, weather permitting, with an eye toward mosquito control, county health officials said Tuesday.
Ground spraying using the pesticide Anvil is planned for Wednesday from 6 to 10 p.m. in the Fire Island communities of Ocean Bay Park, Ocean Beach and Seaview. Previously announced was spraying Tuesday from 6 to 10 p.m. in Davis Park and Point O’Woods.
The chances of experiencing health effects from the ground spraying are “quite low,” the health department said, but children and pregnant women should avoid exposure by staying clear of the area during and at least 30 minutes after spraying.
Among the protective measures the department suggests are closing doors, windows and air-conditioning vents before spraying and keeping them closed 30 minutes afterward.
In addition to being annoying, some mosquito bites can transmit West Nile virus to people.
There’s also concern about the Zika virus, which can be transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, not yet found in New York State.
However, a related species, Aedes albopictus, also known as the Asian tiger, is active in the downstate region, Long Island included, and “may be able to effectively transmit the virus,” health officials said.
Also planned for Tuesday through Thursday is aerial spraying of area salt marshes — with an eye on controlling mosquito larvae, Suffolk health officials said.
Marshes in areas of the towns of Babylon, Islip, Brookhaven, Southampton, East Hampton, Riverhead and recently Southold are to be sprayed Tuesday through Thursday between the hours of 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., weather permitting, with the pesticide VectoPrime FG EPA.
See locations in the press release area of suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/HealthServices.aspx
Precautions are not necessary, health officials said, as “the helicopter will be flying at a very low level over marsh areas and taking other precautions to control airborne drift into inhabited areas.” Also, the pesticides that are being used “have no significant human toxicity,” they said.
