What advice should I provide to patients regarding the prevention of insect bites and stings during the summer months?

Advice for patients to prevent insect bites and stings during summer months:

• Keep skin covered by wearing long-sleeved clothing, trousers, and socks, as brightly coloured and flowery prints can attract insects.
• Avoid walking barefoot or wearing sandals outdoors to reduce exposure.
• Avoid using strongly scented perfumes, soaps, shampoos, and deodorants that may attract insects.
• Avoid areas with a higher risk of stings, such as outdoor settings with food and drink, compost heaps, and rubbish bins that attract stinging insects.
• When eating outside, take care when drinking from opaque containers and straws to avoid attracting stinging insects.
• Ensure that known or suspected insect nests (e.g., wasps) near the home are removed by trained professionals.
• Keep insecticides approved for use on stinging insects readily available to kill insects from a distance, as stinging insects are not affected by insect repellents.
• For tick prevention, cover exposed skin and use insect repellents that protect against ticks, especially in grassy and wooded areas including urban gardens and parks.
• Advise patients to check themselves and their children for ticks after outdoor activities and to remove ticks promptly and correctly if found.

This advice helps reduce the risk of bites and stings and subsequent complications.

¹,²