Quebec’s NCC stewardship manager Claude Drolet said that people shouldn’t be afraid to head outside given the benefits to physical and mental well-being, but he did recommend precautions that can be taken to minimize the risk of tick bites.

“Wear bug repellent containing DEET, long sleeves, light-coloured clothing, tuck everything in (including your pants into your socks), stay in the middle of trails, take a bath or shower after a hike and always check your clothes and body for ticks after a hike because they can be as small as a poppy seed,” he explained in a NCC press release.

The most common disease that can be transmitted by tick bites is Lyme disease, and the release stated that lyme-carrying ticks are spreading in Canada and becoming more common in Quebec.

Given that tick bites can go easily undetected, the first sign to look for is a black lump, but a more serious bite could be a rash around what may look like a bull’s-eye target.

Removing a tick can be done by using tweezers and gently pulling the tick straight out of the skin by the head. The NCC’s release specified that one should not attempt to jerk or twist the tick while pulling it out.

The NCC also provided instructions on collecting ticks for testing:

Put the tick in a piece of tape to trap it, place the piece of tape in a container.

Call ahead to the health office or veterinarian to submit a tick.

Don’t wait for testing results before getting medical attention.

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