Nova Scotians who get bitten by a tick can now go to their local pharmacy to assess the need for treatment to help prevent Lyme disease. The cost of the assessment will be covered by the government, effective immediately.
Previously only assessments conducted by a doctor or nurse practitioner were covered.
“I am from rural Nova Scotia where ticks and tick bites are a frequent reality,” said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “We want to give Nova Scotians increased access to care when and where it makes sense. Pharmacists are a big part of that and funding assessments at local pharmacies often makes it easier and more convenient for people, whether rural or urban residents, to prevent this potentially serious disease.”
The assessments covered typically include three components which include checking for; whether the tick bite was from a black-legged tick, whether the tick was removed in the previous 72 hours and whether the tick was attached for at least 36 hours.
Those determining factors allow health professionals to determine the likelihood of Lyme and if deemed nessecary they can prescribe antibiotics.
If the antibiotic treatment – a single dose of doxycycline – is prescribed, the patient would pay for the medication by their usual method.
The treatment is only recommended if it can be administered within a 72-hour window after the tick is removed. If there are any symptoms of Lyme disease, such as a rash at the bite site, people need to see a doctor or nurse practitioner for other treatment options.
Nova Scotia’s top doctor, Dr. Robert Strang applauded the move saying, “The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites altogether, but in certain circumstances where there has been a tick bite, doxycycline remains an effective option to prevent the onset of Lyme disease. It is good news knowing that people can easily go to their local pharmacy to get this assessment for free.”
In 2019, there were 830 confirmed and probable cases of Lyme disease reported in Nova Scotia
Lyme disease is a serious bacterial infection caused by bites from an infected black-legged tick; symptoms include a rash at the site of the bite, fatigue, fever or chills, headache, muscle or joint pain, numbness or tingling, swollen lymph nodes, cognitive dysfunction or dizziness, nervous system disorders, arthritis, or heart palpitations
