CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – Warm weather in the Lowcountry goes hand-in-hand with mosquitoes.
The pesky insects are known for transmitting disease such as Zika and West Nile Virus.
But what about coronaviruses like COVID-19?
“We’ve not seen any data that links transmission of coronaviruses via an entity like mosquitoes. That’s not to say that we won’t,” said Trident Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lee Biggs.
The American Mosquito Control Association says for a virus to pass through mosquitoes or ticks to people, the virus must be able to replicate inside the mosquito or tick.
The CDC and WHO have no evidence that’s happening with COVID-19 but…
…despite the emphasis on testing and treating COVID-19 patients, we can’t lose sight of the fact that other debilitating and potentially fatal diseases transmitted by mosquitoes may also potentially infect our citizens. “Studies have shown that factors contributing to potentially serious or fatal outcomes attendant to COVID-19 infection involve underlying medical issues, such as neurologic conditions that weaken the ability to cough or an already-stressed immune system due to concurrent infection by mosquito-borne viruses,” says Joseph Conlon, Technical Advisor to the American Mosquito Control Association.
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Mosquito-borne viruses such as West Nile virus and dengue have not disappeared as COVID-19 has usurped the media landscape. As potential contributors to severe outcomes, their prevention/control becomes even more critical. “Fortunately, mosquitoes have not been shown to transmit COVID-19,” says Conlon, “However, mosquitoes can factor into the severity of the disease. Thus, it is crucial that we maintain robust measures to reduce their numbers.”
It’s important to remember that mosquitoes are more than just a nuisance. Their bites can spread diseases such as Zika and West Nile Virus – and more as yet to reach our shores in the future. “We already have the mosquitoes. We are continually importing the diseases they carry,” says Conlon. “We must be prepared to prevent their spread throughout our public health landscape – and this requires safe, effective, sustained mosquito control and awareness in the community.”
So, the group says, mosquito prevention and control in your own yard are even more critical than ever.
Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites
However, mosquitoes can vector many serious and deadly diseases. So, protecting yourself from their bite is always good practice. Florida is a beautiful state with amazing natural resources, but mosquitoes are an insect we should always be aware of when we are outside enjoying nature at its finest.
The 5 Ds
While outside, be sure to protect yourself by following the “5 Ds”:
Dusk and Dawn: many mosquito species that vector diseases are active from dusk to dawn so protect yourself
Drain: drain all standing water weekly from around your home to eliminate mosquito breeding sites
Dress: Dress in light-colored, loose-fitting, long sleeves, and pants (cover your skin!)
Defend yourself: when outside, use EPA approved insect repellents such as DEET, Picaridin, IR-3535, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Always remember to read the label before use!
Best Natural Homemade Mosquito Repellents
1. Lemon Eucalyptus Oil
You Will Need
- 10 mL of lemon eucalyptus oil
- 90 mL of any carrier oil (olive or coconut oil)
What You Have To Do
- Take a 100 mL bottle and add 10 mL of lemon eucalyptus oil to it.
- Add 90 mL of any carrier oil to the lemon eucalyptus oil and mix well.
- Apply this mixture directly to the affected area.
How Often You Should Do This
Reapply this mixture periodically, especially when you are outside.
Why This Works
Lemon eucalyptus oil contains compounds like citronellal and p-methane 3,8-diol (PMD). While citronellal is believed to show a little repellency against mosquitoes, PMD is highly effective against these tiny creatures.
Tip
PMD is present only in trace amounts in lemon eucalyptus oil, and hence, this essential oil needs to be processed and purified to convert some of its citronellal into PMD. Processed and purified lemon eucalyptus essential oil can be highly effective against mosquitoes when applied topically.
2. Peppermint Oil And Coconut Oil
You Will Need
- 12 drops of peppermint oil
- 30 mL of coconut oil
What You Have To Do
- Mix peppermint oil with coconut oil.
- Apply this mixture directly to your hands and legs.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this 2-3 times before you go out.
Why This Works
Peppermint oil is another essential oil that works well in repelling mosquitoes. Combining it with coconut oil enhances its mosquito repellent potential and basically makes it your very own natural bug repellent. While peppermint contains compounds like limonene and menthol that keeps mosquitoes at bay, coconut oil contains unsaturated fatty acids and emulsifiers that slow down the evaporation of the repellent molecules of peppermint oil
3. Lavender Oil, Vanilla, And Lemon Juice Spray
You Will Need
- 10-12 drops of lavender oil
- 3-4 tablespoons of vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1-2 cups of water
What You Have To Do
- Mix the lavender oil with vanilla extract and lemon juice.
- Add this mixture to two cups of water.
- Shake this solution well and spray it on your exposed body parts.
How Often You Should Do This
You can do this 2 to 3 times daily if you live in a mosquito-prone area.
Why This Works
While the smell of lavender essential oil has a calming effect on us, it is quite repelling to mosquitoes. Lavender oil contains compounds like limonene, linalool, eucalyptol, and camphor, all of which are known to naturally repel mosquitoes and insects. Vanilla has natural insect-repelling properties, and lemon juice has high acid content that helps in keeping mosquitoes at bay.
4. You Will Need
- A large bottle of mouthwash (preferable mint flavored)
- 3 cups of Epsom salt
- 12 oz can of beer (optional)
What You Have To Do
- Take a large bottle of any store-bought mouthwash and add Epsom salt to it.
- Mix well until the salt dissolves.
- You can also add about 12 oz of beer to it for additional benefits.
- Spray this solution around your home.
How Often You Should Do This
You can spray this outside or around your home twice daily.
Why This Works
Most mouthwashes have compounds like eucalyptol, menthol, and thymol that act as mosquito repellents. Some mouthwashes also have high alcohol (ethanol) content, which aids in repelling mosquitoes. Epsom salt can help ward off insects and other microbes in addition to the mosquitoes
5. Cloves With Lime
You Will Need
- 10-12 cloves
- 1 lemon
What You Have To Do
- Take a lemon and cut it into half.
- Insert 5-6 cloves into each half of the lemon.
- Place this in your room or wherever there are too many mosquitoes.
- Alternatively, you can also mix clove oil with a carrier oil and apply it to the exposed areas of your body.
How Often You Should Do This
You can do this twice daily to steer clear of mosquitoes for the rest of the day.
Why This Works
This is one of the most widely used homemade mosquito repellent. Clove is another herb that is quite effective in repelling mosquitoes and various insects. The strong aroma of clove and the presence of a compound called eugenol to give it its repelling properties. Studies have also proven clove essential oil to be one of the best natural insect repellents.
The repellency of different concentrations (5, 10, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) and combinations of 5 essential oils (Bourbon geranium, cedarwood, clove, peppermint, and thyme) to Aedes aegypti (L.) and Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann when applied to human skin was determined in laboratory tests. Cedarwood oil failed to repel mosquitoes and only high concentrations of peppermint oil repelled Ae. aegypti. None of the oils tested prevented mosquito bite when used at the 5 or 10% concentration. Thyme and clove oils were the most effective mosquito repellents and provided 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 h of protection, depending on oil concentration. Clove oil (50%) combined with geranium oil (50%) or with thyme oil (50%) prevented biting by An. albimanus for 1 1/4 to 2 1/2 h. The potential for using essential oils as topical mosquito repellents may be limited by user acceptability; clove, thyme, and peppermint oils can be irritating to the skin, whereas both human subjects in this study judged the odor of clove and thyme oils unacceptable at concentrations > or = 25%.
Caution
Clove oil can be quite irritating, and it also has a strong fragrance. Hence, it must be used only in combination with a carrier oil for topical application.
All these remedies can be used either as standalone solutions or in combination to repel mosquitoes in the easiest and most natural way possible. However, be careful while using essential oils as a few of them could cause skin irritation. It is recommended to use essential oils only in combination with a carrier oil or some other safe solvent while applying them topically. Wait no more and start using these remedies against those tiny blood-sucking creatures and let us know if you were successful in getting rid of them for good.
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