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With the COVID pandemic coming under control, lawmakers in the Hudson Valley and other Lyme disease hotspots hope attention, and money, return to tick-borne disease education and research.
It seems ticks were out in greater force in the spring than in recent history.
“The early data from our area in the Hudson Valley suggests that, at least for black-legged ticks, this is a greater than normal year,” says Ostfeld. “An average year is dangerous, and this is even more dangerous in 2021.”
Especially, says Dr. Rick Ostfeld, the nymph-stage tick, which was active in June and poses the greatest risk of disease transmission to people. On a personal note, Ostfeld says he also is seeing many more dog ticks. Republican state Senator Sue Serino also notices a tick surge.