The outdoors is where a lot of British Columbians make their living and recreate. The Lyme Education Awareness and Prevention (LEAP) group is an initiative of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation (CanLyme). We want to equip workers and educators with knowledge about ticks and Lyme disease so that they can safely explore the outdoors with a new level of awareness.

Lyme is an infectious disease caused by a bacteria and is transmitted to humans by a bite from an infected tick. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial because Lyme disease can lead to serious complications if left untreated.

Ten years ago there were 266 diagnosed cases of Lyme Disease in Canada. In a decade that number has jumped ten-fold to over 2600 cases in 2019 (the last year data was reported). Lyme has become the fastest growing vector borne disease on this continent.

Students can learn how to identify ticks and tick habitats so that they can avoid bites and recognize signs and symptoms of Lyme disease. The purpose of the guide is to equip educators and workers with knowledge about ticks and Lyme disease so that they can safely explore the outdoors with a new level of awareness.

The guide contains scientifically-founded information and it is free and fully downloadable here: https://www.lookingatlyme.ca/resource/ We invite you to include these lessons in your staff training and camp programming this summer!

Canlyme is also proud to sponsor a podcast called Looking at Lyme  www.lookingatlyme.com which is another valuable educational tool.

Be prepared and stay safe in the outdoors.