Warren Shire Council Tells Mozzies to Buzz Off

18 May 2023

With cases of potentially deadly mosquito borne diseases detected in Western NSW following recent flooding across the state, Warren Shire Council is implementing several initiatives to protect residents.

The installation of mozzie zappers around the Shire and provision of free mosquito repellent are among the measures taken by Council to keep the community safe. 

Council is urging residents to take the steps to protect through their Buzz Off campaign.

Funded by NSW Health, Buzz Off is an educational resource, spreading awareness about how to keep yourself safe from mosquito borne diseases.

The campaign focuses on three key action areas: bite prevention, mosquito reduction and vaccination.

Warren Shire Council General Manager, Gary Woodman, says the Warren Local Government Area has been named as an area of high Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) concern by NSW Health.

“Having been natural disaster declared for flood events over the past two years, our Shire has been identified as an area at high risk of Japanese encephalitis virus due to the increased presence of mosquitos,” says Mr Woodman.

“Because of this, residents who are regularly exposed to mosquitos for a variety of reasons are eligible for a free JEV vaccination, which they can receive at their local GP.”

The full eligibility criteria and vaccination information is available on the NSW Health website.

Warren Shire Council Town Services Manager, Raymond Burns, says the Buzz Off campaign is an important means of ensuring the community is aware of potential risks associated with mosquitos, and understands how to mitigate them.

“Awareness is half of the battle when it comes to issues like this within our community”. 

“In order to properly address the problem, we need to ensure we’re providing adequate information about exactly what the risk is, the tangible solutions, and where to access the necessary resources.”

For more information about keeping yourself safe from mosquitos, visit: www.warren.nsw.gov.au/buzzoff

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