May Annual Lyme Awareness Month
Find us on social media for updates on LRC activities during Lyme awareness month 2023
Rico Franchi - Chapters
To draw a busy #LymeDiseaseAwarenessMonth to a close, we’re excited to share this new song from @RicoFranchi, using his music as both an outlet for his own pain & anxiety as a result of Lyme infection, but also as a way to raise awareness of Lyme disease.
Expanding Outdoor Tick Awareness:
Scout Adventures and Edinburgh City Council join the cause
During May, Scout Adventures at Fordell Firs (Fife), Lochgoilhead (Argyll) and Meggernie Estate (Perthshire) have installed our signs at their outdoor centres to educate their visitors about ticks and Lyme disease and did a fantastic job sharing the message online.
Edinburgh City Council was another significant request we supported, sending them 20 signs for their urban and country park portfolio, as well as posters for their notice boards.
We were pleased to help lots of smaller organisations and individuals showing an interest and taking signs for local trails / community groups.
Thank you to all those helping to raise awareness of ticks and tick borne infections.
Light up for Lyme 2023
The Lyme Resource Centre have worked with local authorities and other bodies to enable the lighting of public buildings and other landmarks in green during Lyme Disease awareness month of May. The lighting of the buildings is accompanied by a communications and publicity strategy which answers the question from the public as to why the buildings and landmarks are lit up green. The purpose of this is to raise awareness of Lyme Disease among the public and to encourage them to access further information resources to promote the prevention of tick borne disease, safe removal off ticks and the early recognition of symptoms when a tick bite is detected.
Some examples of public buildings and landmarks in Scotland are illustrated below and include :
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Falkirk Wheel
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The Kelpies Falkirk
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Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
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Titan Crane Clydebank
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Wallace Monument Stirling
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Milngavie Town Hall
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Kilsyth Bandstand
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Bearsden Halls
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Ness Bridge Inverness
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Marischall College Council Headquarters, Aberdeen
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Strathclyde University Wolfson Centre
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Strathclyde University Technology Innovation Centre
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Church Street Dumbarton
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Bowline, Bowling
Parliamentary Motion - May 2023
EVELYN TWEED MSP- Motion S6M-07769
Evelyn Tweed Scottish National Party Stirling
Members' Business Motion Lodged: 14/02/2023 Due in Chamber 17/05/2023
National Lyme Disease Awareness Month
That the Parliament acknowledges that May 2023 is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month; notes that Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks, which are tiny spider-like creatures found in woodland and moorland areas that feed on the blood of birds and mammals, including humans; understands that many people with early symptoms of Lyme disease develop a circular rash around the tick bite three to 30 days after being bitten, often described as looking like a bull’s eye on a dart board, whilst some people may develop several rashes in different parts of their body, and around one in three people will not develop a rash; further understands that some people with Lyme disease also have flu-like symptoms, including tiredness, muscle and joint pain, headaches, a high temperature, chills and neck stiffness; notes the calls encouraging anyone who has been bitten by a tick and develops a rash or flu-like symptoms to speak to their GP and tell them that they have been bitten by a tick;
further notes, however, that diagnosing Lyme disease is often difficult as many of the symptoms are similar to other conditions; acknowledges that NHS Scotland advises that Lyme disease is treatable, however, that without treatment, more serious and longer-term symptoms may develop, including pain and swelling in joints, nerve problems, memory problems, difficulty concentrating and heart problems; understands that there is currently no vaccine available and that the best way to prevent Lyme disease is to adopt simple measures when in the countryside or near wildlife, including tucking trousers into socks and wearing insect repellent, and notes the calls encouraging anybody who is concerned that they have contracted Lyme disease to contact their GP and for everyone to take precautions when in the countryside.