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Ellie R. Goldberg [erg_hk@juno.com]
sent us this email [02/2001] describing the decision to spray
pyrethroids in the next town over, Newton. Ellie
is part of a coalition called the Neighborhood Pesticide Action
Committee which has a website at -
http://www.orgsites.com/ma/npac/
Back
to NPAC Homepage
West
Nile Virus:
a conversation with David Naparstek, Newton Health Commissioner
printed in Green News, the newsletter of the Green Decade
Coalition/Newton.
>In a conversation with David
Naparstek, Newton's Health Commissioner, we
>asked him to help us understand the issues he dealt with in making
his
>decision this past summer to spray some areas of Newton to kill
>mosquitoes that might be carrying the West Nile Virus. The following
is
>his overview and then his responses to our questions:
>
>Com. Naparstek: Many public health
officials did not anticipate that the
>West Nile Virus (WNV) would winter over from 1999 into 2000. When
>infected birds and mosquitoes along with human cases appeared by
surprise
>in New York City this past summer, the northeast states undertook an
>aggressive bird and mosquito surveillance program. Most of these
states
>adopted a response plan developed by the Centers for Disease Control
and
>Prevention (CDC) and used by New York City in 1999. This plan
recommended
>increased mosquito control activities as the risk of human exposure
to
>the virus increased (see www.cdc.gov).
New York City and surrounding
>counties conducted aerial and ground spraying for mosquitoes.
>
>Green News: Recognizing that there are
risks associated with both the
>West Nile virus and with spaying, how did you decide that the risks
>associated with West Nile Virus were greater than those involved
with
>spraying ? Was there a formula used for this purpose?
>
>Com. Naparstek: Much of the information
about West Nile virus outbreaks
>and the risk to people from the virus is still evolving. New York
City is
>serving as a "living laboratory" for the nation. Much of
the
>decision-making in Massachusetts as well as other Northeast states
was
>based on New York's experience. In New York, West Nile virus
infection
>ranged from no noticeable symptoms to severe, debilitating disease
and in
>two cases, death. WNV outbreaks in other parts of the world were
also
>associated with deaths and severe disease as was seen in the Israel
>outbreak this fall.
>
>The risk associated with spraying the pesticide Scourge also has not
been
>established. The immediate concerns with human exposure are allergic
and
>asthmatic reactions. Other risks are under review.
>
>In early December, 2000, I participated in a conference convened by
the
>New York Academy of Medicine and Mount Sinai School of Medicine that
>focused on West Nile virus in urban environments. The prevailing
opinion
>was that much more information about the risks associated with both
>pesticides and the West Nile virus is needed. Some valuable data
from the
>2000 experience are anticipated early in 2001. Hopefully the
information
>will guide me to plan Newton's disease control program.
>
>Green News: What experts and resources
did you consult to help make your
>decision to spray?
>
>Com. Naparstek: I attended meetings
about WNV and spraying to control
>mosquitoes with environmental epidemiologists, public health
>entomologists, environmental physicians, ecologists, environmental
>toxicologists, infectious disease control physicians, public health
>laboratory specialists, and mosquito control specialists. Faculty
members
>from the BU and Harvard Schools of Public Health and Tufts Medical
School
>were especially helpful to the health directors in Newton,
Brookline,
>Boston and Cambridge. More importantly, Newton constituents,
including:
>the Green Decade Coalition and GreenCAP, Parks and Recreation
Department,
>the Board of Aldermen, Integrated Pest Management Advisory
Committee,
>Health Advisory Council, Mayor's office, Conservation Commission,
Silent
>Spring Institute, and concerned citizens participated in two public
>meetings. Representatives from neighboring communities also were
>consulted.
>
>Green News: How did you weigh the risks
of West Nile Virus versus
>spraying?
>
>Com. Naparstek: The decisions to spray
were among the most difficult ones
>in my 33 year career in local public health. I had to make a
significant
>decision in the absence of clear information about the two risks. I
have
>been a strong supporter of the Green Decade Coalition since I met
Louise
>Bruyn ten years ago. I respect and share the organization's profound
>concerns about pesticides.
>
>There were two factors that perhaps most influenced my decision to
spray.
>The first was a number of calls from irate residents who threatened
to
>spray on their own if the city did not. The second, and most
compelling
>factor, was a risk approximation from a state public health
official. It
>was based on the best available information and on the very limited
data
>coming from the New York experience. There was a theoretical
potential
>for one death and seven serious cases of the disease in Newton
caused by
>the West Nile virus. Anywhere from 500 to 1600 people might contract
a
>mild or asymptomatic case of the disease. This estimate could not be
peer
>reviewed, because I had to make an immediate decision about mosquito
>control.
>
>Green News: What are your plans for
next year?
>
>Com. Naparstek: Information about the
New York experience will help with
>the planning process for the upcoming year. Newton will make every
effort
>to control mosquitoes without the use of chemical sprays. We are
working
>with adjacent communities, the state health department, community
groups
>and academic institutions toward this end. Unlike this year, we will
have
>the time to study, plan and think for the summer of 2001.
>
>Editor's note:
>Mr. Naparstek is participating in a number of regional and state
planning
>efforts to prepare for West Nile virus in 2001. He has promised a
>follow-up article in the spring with details about Massachusetts and
>Newton plans. He also feels that much information from the 2000 West
Nile
>virus experience will be released in the next few months that can be
>included in his update.
>
>The MA PARTNERSHIP FOR SAFE MOSQUITO MANAGEMENT was organized by
individuals around the state concerned about pesticides as a
children's
>health and community pollution issue. The 'elist' facilitates
>information sharing about the hazards of the synthetic pyrethroids
and
>the other pesticide products used for mosquito control. Join
the
>Partnership to receive information about the West Nile Virus and to
learn
>about opportunities to get involved in public decisions that will
affect
>us all. |