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The Public Health Division is part of the Inspectional Services Department. If you have other questions about building, electrical gas and other health related issues, please visit the Inspectional Services Department website.

City of Lynn Public Health Flu Clinics | Updated: July 2022

2022 Flu Clinics will be updated on this page and the City homepage when scheduled in the Fall of 2022.

Please bring your Health Insurance Card if you have health insurance. All are welcome to receive a vaccination at no cost.

Basic Information About Flu From State Health and Human Services Department

Flu is a disease of the body's breathing system, including the nose, throat and lungs. The most common symptoms are fever, cough, and sore throat. Symptoms last from a few days to a week or more.

What You Need to Know
These colorful posters and brochures detail the four best ways to stay healthy this flu season by lowering your chances of getting or spreading the flu.

• Download Materials from the Massachusetts Health Clearinghouse

• Colds vs. Flu Comparison (PDF)  

• Key Facts About Flu and Flu Vaccine (CDC)

Staying Healthy

Everyone 6 months of age and older should be vaccinated for flu. The only exceptions are people with a severe allergy to eggs or to a vaccine component. Washing your hands often, and coughing and sneezing into a tissue or into the inside your elbow, will also help keep you and others healthy.

• Mass.gov Flu Information and Resources (Updated 2018)

• Clean Hands Save Lives! - CDC

  

If You Get Sick or Think You Are Sick

• Fever Fact Sheets (PDF)  

• Flu: What You Can Do - Caring for People at Home
  Booklets with useful instructions about taking care of people with the flu at home can be viewed online.

Flu: Caring for People at Home

Visit this webpage for multi-language information and resources (Updated 2018)

For up-to-date flu information and where to find a flu shot, please call the MDPH Information Line toll free at (866) 627-7968 or visit their website.

Additional information and helpful resources can be found on the CDC website.

Heat Stroke

Heat Stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. When the body is unable to control its temperature, the temperature rises rapidly and the body is unable to sweat and cool down. This can occur rapidly, within 10 -15 minutes, with body temperature rising to 106 degrees F.

The Warning Signs of Heat Stroke Include:

An Extremely High Body Temperature (Above 103 Degrees F) | Red, Hot, Dry Skin ( No Sweating) | Rapid, Strong Pulse | Throbbing Headache | Dizziness | Nausea
Confusion or Disorientation

What You Can Do:
Please limit activities during very hot weather. Also, drink plenty of water regularly and often even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid beverages that contain caffeine or alcohol. Additional measures to beat the heat include taking cool showers or baths, and wearing loose, light-colored clothing. Avoid cooking and eat well-balanced, light, regular meals. If you do not have air conditioning, stay on your lowest floor, out of sun. Electric fans do not cool the air, but they do evaporate perspiration, which cools your body.  Never leave children or pets alone in a closed vehicle. Please check on family, friends and neighbors.

Heat Exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of extreme heat and inadequate or unbalanced fluid intake.

The Warning Signs of Heat Exhaustion Include:

Heavy Sweating | Pallor | Muscle Cramps | Tiredness | Weakness | Dizziness
Headache | Nausea or Vomiting | Fainting | Cool, Moist Skin | Fast, Weak Pulse
Fast and Shallow Breathing | Confusion or Disorientation

If you believe you, or anyone you are with, is experiencing a heat-related medical emergency, promptly call 911, and if possible, move to a cooler place.

If you have questions regarding the cooling center or need more information on how to beat the heat please contact the Lynn Health Department at 781-598-4000.

Mosquito-Borne Illness

The two mosquito-borne illnesses commonly that threaten our local area and throughout the State include West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and the threat level for both is moderate. 

EEE is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Initial symptoms of EEE are fever (often 103º to 106ºF), stiff neck, headache, and lack of energy, and in severe cases can progress to confusion, disorientation, and coma. EEE is a serious disease in all ages and can even cause death.

WNV can infect people of all ages and people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe disease. WNV is usually transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people infected with WNV will have no symptoms. When present, WNV symptoms tend to include fever and flu-like illness. In rare cases, more severe illness can occur.

The number of West Nile Virus and EEE positive mosquitoes across the State may continue to be active well into the fall and risk for mosquito-borne illness will continue until the first hard frost in your area. Hard frosts occur when temperatures fall below 28 degrees for several hours.

The Department of Public Health recommends the following actions to protect against mosquito-borne illnesses:

Avoid Mosquito Bites

• Apply Insect Repellent when Outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] or IR3535 according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age.
• Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning.

• Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites. Wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.  Use mosquito netting on baby carriages and playpens outdoors 

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

• Drain Standing Water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or discarding items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change water in birdbaths frequently.
• Install or Repair Screens. Keep mosquitoes outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all of your windows and doors.

For more information visit the MA Public Health Department’s website at www.mass.gov/dph.  

Mosquito Spraying Program | 2018

Northeast Mosquito Control performs routine spraying each year.

Targeted areas may not always be published since residents may call themselves to request this service from Northeast Mosquito Control.

The vehicle that sprays is a white pickup truck with a piece of apparatus on the rear of the truck that sprays synthetic pyrethoids. Spraying will not be done in front of a property where people or pets are observed to be outdoors or where signage is displayed that declines spraying.

Steps to be followed in areas where spraying is scheduled to take place include:

• If the immediate area of your home is being sprayed, keep windows closed and fans off during the time spraying occurs. Shut off air conditioners unless they have a setting for recirculating indoor air. In very hot weather, make sure you open the windows or turn fans and air conditioners back on soon after the spraying is completed in your immediate area. If you are not sure if your air conditioner can be set to recirculate indoor air, turn it off when spraying is occurring in your immediate area.
• Rinse any homegrown fruits and vegetables with water.
• Keep pets indoors when spraying is occurring in your immediate area. Pets that remain outdoors could be exposed to small amounts of synthetic pyrethoids, but would not be expected to experience adverse health effects from the spraying. There are many pesticide products (e.g., flea collars, pet shampoo, dips) containing pyrethoids that are used directly on pets to control ticks and insects.
• If skin or clothes or other items are exposed to the sprayed pesticide, wash with soap and water.
• If the spray gets in your eyes, immediately rinse them with water or eye drops, and call your doctor.
• Because pyrethoids breaks down quickly in sunlight and water, and considering dilution factors, no special precaution or waiting periods are recommended for outdoor swimming pools or beaches.

What health impacts among the general population can be expected with the spraying of synthetic pyrethoids?
Due to the very low concentrations of synthetic pyrethoids used to control mosquitoes during spraying, adverse health effects are not expected.

Have studies been conducted on possible health effects following spraying for mosquito control?
Yes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that when administered properly in a mosquito-control program, insecticides pose a low risk for acute, temporary health effects among persons in areas that are being sprayed and among workers handling and applying insecticides.

Short videos on preventing tick and mosquito-borne diseases are available for your use at: www.mass.gov/mosquitoesandticks

If you have questions about forecasts of mosquito activity or current control operations for your area, please contact the Inspectional Services Public Health Division at (781) 598-4000 or visit: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/cdc/factsheets/m-o/mosquito-spraying.pdf

Mosquito-West Nile Virus | Archive

West Nile Virus is a disease most commonly spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people infected with WNV won’t have any symptoms and will recover on their own, but some may develop fever, headache, nausea, rash or more serious symptoms.

Targeted spraying is not currently planned for the City of Lynn at this time. Please check back for future announcements of targeted spraying.

The Mayor’s office and the Health Department would like to remind residents that the aim of spraying (if required) is to lower the overall mosquito population and reduce the numbers of infected mosquitos in the affected areas. Spraying reduces, but cannot completely eliminate infected Mosquitos. Therefore, it cannot eliminate the threat of mosquito-borne illness. That is why it is very important for all residents, regardless if they live in the affected area, to take personal precautions against mosquito bites.

* Use insect repellent with DEET but not more than 30% for children * Wear long sleeves, pants and socks when possible * Avoid outdoors during peak mosquito hours beginning at dusk * Repair all screens * Empty standing water in toys, yard, tires, where mosquitos breed * Use netting over baby carriages and play yards

The City of Lynn has worked closely with the MA Department of Public Health and the Northeast Massachusetts Mosquito Control District throughout the season to reduce the risk of illness spread by mosquitoes. Mosquito pools are tested weekly from May to September in order to help identify infected mosquitoes. In addition pesticide treatment of catch basins (where mosquitoes lay their eggs) was performed throughout the City this summer.

Information about WNV and reports of current and historical WNV activity in Massachusetts can be found on the MDPH website. You may also contact the Lynn Public Health Clinic at (781) 586-6837 for more information.

See the next tab on the left for Property Exclusion From Pesticides which is a designation that must be made each year prior to March 1st.

Property Exclusion From Pesticides | Deadline Is March 1st Each Year

With the mosquito breeding season over for this year, we are already gearing up for the next season. Residents can exempt their property from pesticide application activities and in the past we did our best to accommodate all requests. Beginning in 2014, we were no longer be able to accommodate those requests that did not adhere to 333 CMR 13:00, due to a determination by the State’s legal department (please see attached regulation). This regulation remains in effect as written for the 2015 mosquito breeding season. We are informing residents early to insure that those who wish to exempt their property send their certified letter to the municipal clerk no later than the March 1 of the year they are requesting exemption. Designation for exclusion must be made prior to March 1st of each year and shall be effective from April 1st of that year through March 31st of the following year.

Properties to be exempted will be entered into our data collection and mapping program. This program is designed to alert the applicator of an upcoming, exempted property allowing the sprayer to be turned off in an appropriate time frame. Properties included in the exemption layer of the mapping program are based on the actual parcel boundaries (according to the Mass GIS database) to allow for better exemption of the entire property.

We are informing the local Boards of Health and Municipal Clerks early as this is a change from previous years when residents could call us directly to have their property exempted. As requests come in to the Clerk’s office, they may be forwarded directly to us, held until the March 1st deadline after which we will have a District representative pick them up or they may be included in one database to be sent to our office no later than March 5. The desires of the owner of the property will take precedence over those of a tenant according to 333 CMR 13:00.

Please note: This form must be submitted by certified letter dated between January 1 and March 1, of the year the exclusion is requested, to the Town Clerk in the town in which the property exists. The exclusion will run from April 1 of that year to March 31 of the following year.

Click here to download the exemption form and complete prior to March 1

The full text of this regulation may be found on the internet: CLICK HERE
Please feel free to contact our office if you have any questions, and please access our website at www.northeastmassmosquito.com for more information on the Northeast Massachusetts Mosquito Control and Wetlands Management District. Our telephone number is (978) 463-6630.