West Nile Spraying In Our Area Tonight: What To Do

The Department of Health is warning residents of Ditmas Park and the surrounding area that they will be spraying pesticides throughout parts of the neighborhood tonight, between 8:15 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

The area to be sprayed is shaded yellow on the map above, although it’s only an approximation.

Like any time a government sprays a bunch of toxic crap in the air, they’re saying the chemical used – Anvil 10+10 – has no known risk to humans. But it’s The Man, man, so here are a couple of things you should do to make sure you stay safe and don’t grow an arm out of your butt (tips courtesy of The Man, not guaranteed to be 100 percent effective):

• Stay indoors whenever possible during that time period – especially if you have asthma or respiratory issues.
• Close the vents on your air-conditioner and set it to recirculate.
• Remove toys, equipment and clothing from outdoor areas. If you leave them out there, make sure to wash them with soap before using them.
• If you have an outdoor garden, wash your produce thoroughly before eating it.

Here’s a .pdf from the city detailing the spraying and safety tips, and here’s the city’s webpage for West Nile Virus.

Image via the Department of Health.