Residents Take Protection From West Nile Virus Into Their Own Hands
By: Brendaliss Gonzalez
Updated: September 12, 2012
There have been three confirmed cases of West Nile Virus in Abilene.
Now people are taking precautions into their own hands and retail stores are seeing the profits.
It's become the weapon of choice for many.
"I've made sure to keep bug spray in the car and around the house," said Brenna Windham, an Abilene resident.
Especially ever since the most recent confirmations of the West Nile Virus right here in Abilene.
"I've been wearing a lot of 'OFF!' and stuff like that," said Abilene resident Jana Van Dalsem.
"I'm kinda scared about the whole situation," said Windham who made sure to use plenty of bug spray before heading out to the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.
But it isn't stopping some like Elise Hurst from enjoying the outdoors.
Not since she's well prepared and made sure to stock up on plenty of mosquito repellent.
"Just the kids safety is my biggest concern," said Hurst.
She's not the only one whose equipped, so are stores.
"We've kind of upped our quantity in so we can kind of supply the demand for 'OFF!' right now," said Tim Farrar, a manager at United Supermarket on Buffalo Gap Rd.
You could even say mosquitoes have been rather helpful for business.
"Sales have actually been up on the bug spray, particularly the 'OFF!,'" said Farrar.
Stores like United Supermarkets on Buffalo Gap Rd. have actually had a 10 percent increase in bug spray sales.
And although it hasn't prevented everyone from getting bit, its at least put some more at ease.
"I was concerned at first because I have a lot of family from the Dallas area who have had a lot of infections going on but down here in Abilene they seem to be spraying a lot and I think that were all going to be okay," said Van Dalsem.
City personnel finished spraying this week around areas where the virus has been detected.
So now residents will just have to depend on their own defense measures.
Personnel from the Taylor Co. Health District continue to encourage everyone to avoid going outdoors at dusk and dawn, to wear long sleeves, long pants and apply plenty of insect repellent with DEET.
And they ask people to drain any standing water, which is often a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Now people are taking precautions into their own hands and retail stores are seeing the profits.
It's become the weapon of choice for many.
"I've made sure to keep bug spray in the car and around the house," said Brenna Windham, an Abilene resident.
Especially ever since the most recent confirmations of the West Nile Virus right here in Abilene.
"I've been wearing a lot of 'OFF!' and stuff like that," said Abilene resident Jana Van Dalsem.
"I'm kinda scared about the whole situation," said Windham who made sure to use plenty of bug spray before heading out to the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.
But it isn't stopping some like Elise Hurst from enjoying the outdoors.
Not since she's well prepared and made sure to stock up on plenty of mosquito repellent.
"Just the kids safety is my biggest concern," said Hurst.
She's not the only one whose equipped, so are stores.
"We've kind of upped our quantity in so we can kind of supply the demand for 'OFF!' right now," said Tim Farrar, a manager at United Supermarket on Buffalo Gap Rd.
You could even say mosquitoes have been rather helpful for business.
"Sales have actually been up on the bug spray, particularly the 'OFF!,'" said Farrar.
Stores like United Supermarkets on Buffalo Gap Rd. have actually had a 10 percent increase in bug spray sales.
And although it hasn't prevented everyone from getting bit, its at least put some more at ease.
"I was concerned at first because I have a lot of family from the Dallas area who have had a lot of infections going on but down here in Abilene they seem to be spraying a lot and I think that were all going to be okay," said Van Dalsem.
City personnel finished spraying this week around areas where the virus has been detected.
So now residents will just have to depend on their own defense measures.
Personnel from the Taylor Co. Health District continue to encourage everyone to avoid going outdoors at dusk and dawn, to wear long sleeves, long pants and apply plenty of insect repellent with DEET.
And they ask people to drain any standing water, which is often a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
