deadly flood Damage from Hurricane Helen in western North Carolina has also destroyed underground nests of yellowjackets, wasps and other insects, causing them to swarm and sting people as they struggle to recover from the storm.
This has led to a surge in requests for medicines to protect people with sting allergies, so the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has released Benadryl and Epinephrine injections to respond to requests through hospitals, emergency medical workers, and physicians. are purchasing. The humanitarian organization Direct Relief also announced it has sent more than 2,000 EpiPen injections to community health centers, clinics and pharmacies throughout Western North Carolina.
“We receive requests for EpiPens every time there is a disaster, but this is definitely an outlier,” said Alicia Clark, chief pharmacy officer at Direct Relief. Clark said many of the people who come in with stings are electricians and other outdoor workers working to restore power lines.
Pharmacists in the state can also provide emergency refills to people who are already prescribed allergy medications, a state health department spokeswoman said. The state plans to make epinephrine injections such as EpiPen available without a prescription, and is working to collect and distribute medical donations.
According to the Mayo Clinic, most people are not allergic to stings from bees or other insects, but they can be very irritating and painful, and the sting may swell and remain sore for several days. It can also cause a severe allergic reaction in some people, leading to anaphylaxis, which causes difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue and throat, a weak pulse, and loss of consciousness. In this situation, it is important to administer epinephrine immediately.
After more than a dozen stings, the venom can accumulate in the body and cause serious symptoms such as dizziness, fever, convulsions, and vomiting.
To reduce the risk of being bitten, experts recommend avoiding perfumes and strong-smelling soaps and deodorants, and wearing long, light-colored clothing with a smooth finish. If there is only one stinging insect around, it is recommended to remain calm and still and avoid swatting it. However, if several of them are biting, it is best to go indoors or in a shaded area immediately. When a bee stings, it releases a chemical that attracts other bees.
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