Pedestrians, campers, and anyone who wants to escape can “explode out. And maybe there isn’t an equally wise approach” to prevent exposure, explained Dr. Sorana Segal-Maurer, director of Dr. James J. Rahal, Jr. Infectious Disease Division in the NewYork-Presbyterian Queens health care system.

“I am a little nervous that their guard might come down a little,” he added.

The open crowd was so large around Memorial Day weekend, that parks from southern California to North Carolina had to close early after reaching capacity.

Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced an increase in Lyme and other congenital diseases, with seven additional germs identified in the US in the past two decades, while “single star ticks” expanded their footprints from the southeast to the northern states and the Midwest.

But ignoring the basic steps that reduce the risk of head lice and vector-borne diseases to focus solely on preventing Covid-19 is only one danger. Another is the possibility of confusing symptoms if you start feeling nauseous.

Lyme and Covid-19 disease: a story of similar symptoms

The warning signs for tick-borne diseases are “very similar to the severity we have seen with Covid-19, namely fever, muscle aches, headaches, severe fatigue,” Dr. Segal-Maurer.

He believes the unique difference is that breathing problems are common in coronavirus patients, but not those who are infected by lice. However, even that difference can be debated.

“Lung involvement, even to a fatal extent, has been documented in various infections transmitted by ticks,” Dr. Steven Phillips from the Bay Area Lyme Foundation to CNN. “Although serious lung involvement with vector-borne infections is relatively rare, nonspecific lung complaints, such as shortness of breath, are very common.”

Even if you follow Covid-19 tips, heeding suggestions to avoid bites is just as important. Dr. Segal-Maurer describes a “realistic” scenario if you are on a solid hiking trail: “You will all push into the vegetation … You will be a little off the track.”

Fleas “hang the tip of a blade of grass or leaves or herbs, and they have a slight feeling that they are … some kind of shake out there. So, once you brush, they stick.”

Last month, Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine announced an increase in emergency room visits over the past few months “linked” to flea bites. “Some symptoms of Lyme disease, such as fever, cold, and headaches, are similar to the symptoms of COVID-19,” Dr. Levine in a statement, which repeated what the other experts said..

Head outside – but responsibly

Dr. Segal-Maurer said health care professionals always need to ask patients about their trips and other activities. “You have to cover all your bases … we don’t want Covid to be blinded.”

Patients, in turn, must also ask about both possibilities.

And when it comes to protecting yourself from fleas, he said, “You have to use DEET. It has to be 30%. You need to watch where you climb. And then you need to do a body check when you get back inside.”

Phillips prefers Permethrin, which he said is stronger, but “can only be sprayed on clothing, not skin, and must be left to dry overnight before use.”

Other tips include wearing a hat, brightly colored clothing to make lice easier to recognize, placing socks over your pants and choosing a long-sleeved shirt to prevent lice from approaching your skin.

That, of course, aside from wearing a mask to fight the spread of the corona virus.

However, even with the extra hassle for safer summer holidays, Dr. Segal-Mauer encouraged people to go outside this summer because he believed “it has been a traumatic few months. I think the great outdoors is a very healing place.”