Bottled Bug Sprays to Battle Zika

Zika virus is here. Each week seems to bring a new report of how it might be transmitted, but we know that mosquitoes are the prime carrier. Those pesky little buggers also carry other diseases, not to mention leaving ugly little whelps where they bite you. In short, if you’ve never thought too much about insect repellent, now is the time to start.

These over the counter repellents also protect from summer’s ubiquitous fleas and assorted biting flies. You can purchase them in various dispensers, with or without DEET, scented or unscented, and at various prices.

Which should you use? It's best to forego the do-it-yourself concoctions you’ll see showcased on various web sites. Now is not the time for hit or miss.

DEET? If a repellent works for you without that much maligned chemical, by all means go for it. If you’re major mosquito bait every summer, you may wish to stick with the formulas that contain DEET, at least until the Zika crisis has passed.

Remember to read the directions; basically don’t rub the spray into skin or don clothing while skin is still damp with the spray. Check after first use for any adverse skin reactions. Don’t let pets come in contact with anything damp from the spray.

What are your best choices? Here are six major brands packaged in atomizer type spray bottles:

Off - 4.99 for 6 ounces

Cutter - 4.99 for 6 ounces

Repel - 5.99 for 4 ounces 

Greenerways - 7.99 for 6 ounces

Coleman - 4.99 for 5 ounces

Eco-Defense - 9.99 for 4 ounces

Most of these sprays are fairly economical and last 12 hours or so. In extremely hot weather you’re more apt to perspire, so you may need to apply twice during a day spent outside, or in homes where fleas may be present.

Hoping nothing more than an attractive vampire bites any of you this summer!



Nurse Nan

The School Nurse as a Mother Figure?

Nurses who receive a Bachelor of Science degree are required to take a course in community nursing, a part of which involves a clinic with a school nurse. My one-day clinic was extremely memorable, but for all the wrong reasons. I came away knowing that I would seek a position as a school nurse only as a last resort and with one other piece of knowledge: High school students saw the school nurse as a kind of substitute mother.

The nurse with whom I trained was extremely free in telling me about each student who entered her office. I learned not only the student’s medical history, but their emotional and sexual history as well. I assume it was the nurse’s substitute for watching soap operas in the afternoon, but I left feeling that this woman was entirely too involved in the lives of these Madison County high school students.

Now a local school nurse has been arrested for having a sexual relationship with a female student. I’m hearing some say “how dumb is that?” More to the point is “how immoral is that?” This nurse was both licensed as an LPN and married in 1993, years before her victim was born. At one time the nursing profession was seen as the most moral and ethical in the United States. Now it’s second to firefighting, and may be falling fast in the estimation of the public.

The moral? Parents are entirely too trusting when it comes to their children’s mentors. A friend once told me she was leery of anyone outside her family paying a great deal of attention to her children. Each day that passes only proves how right she was in this. Is there an upside to this story? Yes, Florence will again make the Daily Mail.


Nurse Nan

Positively No AIDS from Saliva

Recently the TimesDaily ran an article on Alabama Health Department official Tom Robertson who appeared at a local school for AIDS Day. The article, written by Lisa Singleton-Rickman was extremely similar to one she wrote on the same subject in 2013.

However, the 2013 article correctly stated that saliva does not transmit the HIV virus. The 2015 article incorrectly quoted Robertson as saying it did. Everyone should take precautions against the virus which is spread via contact with body fluids. I assume this misinformation was a misprint. One cannot acquire the virus through contact with either saliva or a mosquito bite.

Hoping everyone stays safe. You have a role to play in life!


Nurse Nan