07/16/2025
📣 Know the Risks. Prevent the Bites. Report the Ticks.
Emergency Rooms across the country are seeing an increase tick bites, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This July has already seen the highest number of tick-related ER visits since 2017. Tinker AFB Public Health has also seen an increase with a two-fold increase in reported tick bites these past two years.
To prevent tick bites:
• Try to wear light-colored long sleeves, pants, and closed-toe shoes when outside.
• Apply insect repellent containing DEET. You can also apply permethrin to your clothes.
• Do a thorough tick check after being outdoors (focusing on waistbands, armpits, groin, scalp, and hair).
If you are a DOD beneficiary and find a tick during a tick check, Public Health can send it off for testing:
• Grasp tick as close to the skin as possible using fine-tipped tweezers and pull tick away with gentle, steady upward pressure.
• Store the tick in a Ziplock bag or sealed container. If you are not able to bring the tick immediately, store it in the freezer.
• PH will ship off the tick for identification and disease testing. Patients will receive information about the results. Positive results (without patient information) are also forwarded to CE Pest Management to help them optimize pest control efforts.
