Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
Tick Season is Here: Public Forum on Lyme Disease Set for June 20th
In response to an increasing number of Staten Islanders reporting cases of Lyme disease, Borough President James P. Molinaro will hold a public forum with professionals from the medical and scientific communities to inform citizens about the disease.
The forum will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20th at the Williamson Theatre, Center for the Arts, College of Staten Island. Co-sponsored by the New York City Department of Health, the forum will be moderated by Dr. Ernest Visconti, Chief of Infectious Diseases at Lutheran Medical Center, and a physician in practice on Staten Island. Panelists will include experts in the fields of public health and entomology, who will participate in a question-and-answer session.
The forum will feature Lyme disease patients who will share their experiences. Deer ticks collected by naturalists from the Staten Island Museum will be displayed at the forum in sealed vials to illustrate their small size.
Lyme disease is transmitted by the bite of a deer tick, and with the number of deer increasing on Staten Island, concern about the disease has grown. "Two members of my staff have Lyme Disease," said Borough President Molinaro. "The Northeast has the highest rate of Lyme infection in the U.S., and I want to give the people of Staten Island the opportunity to learn more about this disease and the methods of prevention. I appreciate the support of Dr. Thomas Frieden and the New York City Department of Health for working with me on this very important issue."
For more information about the June 20th Lyme Disease Forum, please call the Borough President's Helpline at 718-816-2000.