APPLACHIAN RIDGE Rabies baiting planned

Rabies baits will be dispersed in the Lowellville and East Palestine areas.
The Appalachian Ridge Oral Rabies Vaccination Program baiting will be Tuesday in Ohio, weather permitting, and cover areas of Mahoning and Columbiana counties.
Concentrated dispersal of baits will occur in areas within a five-mile radius of Lowellville and East Palestine, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
This supplemental spring baiting will distribute oral rabies vaccine in areas where rabid raccoons were found in 2003 and reinforce the operation of September 2003 across northeastern Ohio.
The baiting is part of a multistate effort coordinated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services to stop the spread of raccoon rabies. The regular major baiting effort will take place as usual in early September.
Distribution methods
Most of the baits will be distributed by air, with the use of specially equipped planes from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. In urban and residential areas, vaccine-laden baits will be distributed by ground teams in cars. Pennsylvania and West Virginia will also distribute baits in areas adjacent to the areas targeted in Ohio, according to Dr. J. Nick Baird, director of the ODH.
"Continued participation with the USDA and other states in the Appalachian Ridge Oral Rabies Vaccination program will prevent the spread of rabies and help protect public health as well as domestic animals and wildlife. Because rabies is still present, surveillance for the disease and oral rabies vaccination programs must continue," Dr. Baird said.
He reminded residents to leave baits alone and to keep pets confined during the baiting period. Dogs in particular are attracted to the baits and will occasionally eat them. The baits are not harmful to pets, but it is important raccoons have every opportunity to eat the baits, Dr. Baird said.
The small baits are brown and square. The vaccine packet is encased in a hard fishmeal polymer shell.
Precautions
Dr. Baird said children should be told to leave the baits alone. Anyone handling baits should wear gloves. If baits are found in areas frequented by pets or children, toss them into deeper cover. Damaged baits can be disposed of in the trash. If a person is exposed to the vaccine (red liquid), they should thoroughly wash with soap and water any areas of the skin that came into contact with the vaccine. If someone has been exposed to the vaccine or has questions, call their local health department or ODH's information line at (888) RABIES-1.