As far as the Health Council is concerned, people who regularly contract tick bites through their work would be wise to get vaccinated against so-called tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). This is a very rare but potentially deadly condition that can be caused by tick bites. Employers should offer this vaccination to people who work in forest and dune areas, for example, the cabinet’s health advisers believe.
Anyone who is bitten by a tick very occasionally does not have to get the shot. The Health Council mainly believes that measures are necessary to protect employees who regularly have a tick on their body, five times or more per year.
Flu-like complaints
TBE is called tick-borne encephalitis in full. It’s a viral disease. Usually the virus causes no symptoms, or only mild flu-like symptoms. In some cases, however, meningitis or encephalitis can develop and that can be life-threatening.
In the Netherlands, it is estimated that only 0.02 percent of all ticks are infected with the TBE virus. The chance of becoming seriously ill from this virus is therefore small for most people. Those who work all day in areas with a lot of ticks run a higher risk, as do employees of laboratories, for example, who can come into contact with TBE. The Health Council believes that this group should also be offered a vaccination by the employer. The final decision on this is up to the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment.
Protective clothing
For the sake of completeness, the council adds that people who work in the forest, for example, must continue to take other measures against ticks after vaccination. This includes protective clothing and lubricating insect repellents. The shot does not protect against other diseases transmitted by ticks. For example, a much larger proportion of ticks, about one in five according to RIVM, is infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. (AP)
2023-08-24 08:10:48
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