The Loudoun County Lyme Disease Commission has a critical need for volunteer members so that it can resume its work to help mitigate Lyme disease in the county. Anyone interested in serving on the Lyme Commission is encouraged to visit loudoun.gov/advisory for information on how to apply.
The commission is preparing to hold meetings again after not meeting for the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At full capacity, the commission has nine members who are appointed by the Board of Supervisors and needs a majority of those members for a quorum. There are currently openings for four members.
The commission was established by the Board of Supervisors in 2012 to work with county staff to implement the Board’s 10-point action plan to mitigate Lyme disease in Loudoun County (PDF). Lyme disease is caused by bacteria that some people get after being bitten by ticks infected with an organism named Borrelia burgdorferi. The organism that causes Lyme disease is maintained in wild rodents, deer, other mammals and certain ticks, most commonly the black-legged (deer) tick. It is transferred to people by the bite of an infected tick. Infections occur throughout the year, but are more common during the late spring and summer and in people who work or play outdoors.
“Lyme Disease Commission members have played an important role in helping to raise awareness about Lyme disease and how to prevent it through a variety of outreach efforts, including the distribution of educational materials in the community and participating in community events,” said Loudoun County Health Department Director Dr. David Goodfriend. “Lyme disease continues to affect people in Loudoun and the commission’s activities are a key part of our prevention efforts.”
Loudoun County encourages residents to become actively involved in their county government by serving on the advisory boards, commissions and committees that advise the Board of Supervisors on a variety of topics. A comprehensive listing of advisory boards, commissions and committees and current opportunities to serve may be found on the county website at loudoun.gov/advisory.
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