This past week, Q-line asked: “How concerned are you about West Nile Virus? What steps, if any, should the city take to protect residents?”
Here are your responses: ✆ “I have always been leery of mosquitos due to their capacity of carrying an epidemic disease, tuberculoses being one. The chain reaction begins when a mosquito bites a diseased person and then bites a healthy person. Mosquitos love to hang around water puddles and water drains. Mosquitos are also known to fly into a person or an animal’s eye for the moisture. Repellents help, but are not a sure thing. Prudence dictate that a person shy away from areas of standing water.” ✆ “Keep your window screens fixed. Report any puddles of water, of course the bums don’t have to worry about WNV, they stink so much no mosquito will go anywhere near them.” ✆ “I think LA County is doing a wonderful job. If you call them and tell them about stagnant water, they’ll come out with the permit control unit.” ✆ “I think it’s an excellent idea for everyone to be inoculated against the WNV.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 24, 2004. Read the original PDF.