A bed bug annoyance found at PHSS
Parents warned, but remembered mistakes are not a health risk
A single bed bug was found at Port Hardy Secondary School on Wednesday. The school administration reached out to Public Health, who indicated that bed bugs were more of a “nuisance than a health risk”.
Nevertheless, a notice was sent to the parents of the students in the cohort so that they could check their child’s belongings. The risk is considered limited as grade levels are isolated into cohorts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and, conveniently, also limit the spread of other infectious diseases and insects that love to travel.
Bed bugs do not pose a health risk, but they are basically small vampires “who only feed on the blood of humans and animals when they sleep”. They are also notoriously difficult to get rid of.
According to HealthLink BC, a combination of physical and chemical treatment is often required. Sucking is recommended, although special steps are required to prevent animals from getting stuck in the vacuum.
High heat kills bed bugs, so high heat washing and drying is effective. It is important to pack items in sealed bags to prevent them from spreading between loads. Steam cleaning works on things that cannot be washed. The beetles die at 50 ° C.
Pesticides can also be effective; HealthLink recommends the use of qualified pest control services.
Do you have anything to add to this story or anything else we should cover? Email: zoe.ducklow@blackpress.ca
Healthcare
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