Any resident in the your area could be that One person infected by West Nile virus (WNV). This threat has prompted the American Mosquito Control Association to develop an important program — “I’m One” — with the overarching goal of creating and sustaining awareness of the danger of WNV. The program highlights the importance of community collaboration to reduce the threat of mosquito-borne disease. By working together, your community can enhance mosquito control, personal protection, and prevention to improve the public health in the community.
It only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to raise concern and threaten the community’s public health. But through education and awareness programs, like the “I’m One” Program, your community can help protect and prevent WNV. Several of the mosquito species that transmit WNV are short-range flyers, which means that most of these mosquitoes could be from your own backyard or a neighboring property. To protect and prevent WNV, your community must collectively work to eliminate larval development sites, treat standing water, or begin a spraying program to reduce mosquito populations. This is an excellent opportunity for communities to band together and win the war on mosquitoes. The “I’m One” Program helps bring together WNV survivors to unify their voices and foster a central rallying cry around prevention of this disease. The program includes a television public service announcement (PSA) with WNV survivors who know firsthand about the devastating effects of the disease. Dr. Don Read, a physician and WNV survivor, supports the “I’m One” Program. He said, “It’s important to have a forum to spread our message about mosquito control, personal protection, and prevention. This is a very dangerous disease, and people need to do what they can to prevent it.”
How YOU Can Help
The American Mosquito Control Association has developed the I’m One Program Outreach Guide to help you to spread the word in your own community about mosquito control, prevention, and protection.
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