Orange County Vector Control and the City of Santa Ana distributed a press release yesterday about spraying of an insecticide to kill mosquitoes that is taking place only in the City of Santa Ana, starting on Sep. 8 through Sep. 11, 2014. Why was this news sent out so late in the week, on a Friday? And why isn’t Anaheim getting sprayed when they have had 42 West Nile Virus cases while Santa Ana has had 31 such infections reported? And Tustin and Garden Grove have had twice the West Nile Virus fatalities that Santa Ana has had – which is exactly one death. Click here to see a map showing where the illnesses and deaths have occurred in Orange County.
Santa Ana does lead the County with regard to dead birds identified to have been infected with the West Nile Virus, with 65 such dead birds. Anaheim has had 23 dead birds and there have been 20 in Huntington Beach, according to this map.
Why is the spraying of a poison in our city an issue? Well check out what Vector Control says we should do when the spraying starts, at 3 am this Monday:
The spraying will continue daily through Sep. 11 from 3 am to 5 am.
The product being sprayed is called Clarke Aquaanvil. Click here to read more about it. The product’s Safety Data Sheet admits that:
Opposition to spraying insecticides to stop the West Nile Virus rests on two very simple facts: 1) it does not work, and 2) it is dangerous to some people in the short term and adds to the overall pesticide load in the environment for the long term, according to an organization called Stop West Nile Virus Spraying Now. The second point is moot given that adulticiding is ineffective, but it is important because spraying continues as West Nile virus recedes into a state known as chronic endemicity, one in which very few people are infected. Moreover, indiscriminate spraying can increase resistance in non-target insects so that there might be no effective control available when an actual threat appears, and it harms beneficial insects, whose recovery cycle is often much longer. The question is not whether to spray; rather, it is if we should use effective means of control instead of ineffective and damaging ones.
Why were the people of Santa Ana notified so late about this poison spraying? And why is Santa Ana the only city being targeted by Vector Control? Simple. Our residents generally don’t read newspapers and are not involved in government affairs. And our politicians are asleep at the wheel.
If you are unhappy about the spraying of a toxic mist in our city, with such short notice and no attempt to explore any alternatives to this, here is who you should contact:
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I got this reply from Sal Tinajero:
Thank you for your e-mail. Information was sent out. There were news releases, two council presentations and we reached out to SAUSD; but in today's world it is difficult to reach everyone because many can pick and choose their own form of media. We have delayed the spraying but vector control will resume it. I urge you to see what the tests are showing about the West Nile Virus in Santa Ana.
In government one has to weigh all options and there are pros and cons to acting or not acting on the problem that faces us. We have already had one death and I don't want another. I will weigh all options before moving forward on an item. If you could imagine, what if we did nothing? We would then be criticized for doing nothing and allowing West Nile to spread.
Sincerely,
Sal
Interesting response. I would imagine that 10 times as many people have died in this area of the common cold in the same time period.
Looking at the areas they want to spray it is possible that the Councilman who represents that area, David Benavides, could have gone door to door over the weekend and alerted everyone. However he was probably at the city marathon in Downtown Santa Ana on Saturday and most likely was relaxing on Sunday. What a lost opportunity for real outreach!
The areas being sprayed are in Benavides' and Sarmiento's wards.
By the way Stanley you should know that I have endorsed Mike Gonzalez for Ward 6.
The hell are they thinking?! I saw these statistics and there are more reported in the surrounding cities! Why Santa Ana? Maybe because there are 330,000 people here? Population control? I live by french park, one of the targeted areas. I understand people are being infected, but I know there are other safer means of preventing this type of virus.
Can't anyone in charge do something about this? I mean, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one against this.
No you're not. City Hall was inundated with calls and emails over the weekend.
Do you know the current status of their current decision?
I missed a call from Mayor Pulido this morning as I was teaching. I'll find out what I can and update this story later today.
Thanks! I'll come back later to see it updated.
Do you happen to know the company involved?
Heard S.A. drainage system is cause of mosquitos, it's in need of repair.
Interesting. I wouldn't be surprised by that. The city's infrastructure needs a lot of work.
300,000 Hispanics populating Santa Ana. Of course, these private companies want population control.
I just called Oc vector control and was advised the fumigation has been canceled for this week.
I am beyond upset. I never got a notice or so call phone call until 2hours ago that it was cancelled. If this wouldn't have been cancelled my dog would be dead and who knows what type of cancer or side effects my kids or myself would have received if it occurred for the week!!!!
http://newsantaana.com/2014/09/08/how-we-stopped-the-mosquito-spraying-operation-in-santa-ana/
ANVIL (active ingredient: Sumithrin) is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, which may affect the
central nervous system.
Anvil contains 10% pipernyl butoxide. Sumithrin was shown to demonstrate significant
estrogenicity in a 1999 study.¹ at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. This means it may promote
tumor growth in cancers of the reproductive organs including breast cancer and prostate cancer.
1. Estrogenic and Antiprogestagenic Activities of Pyrethroid Insecticides. Biochemical and Biophysical Research
Communications, October 1998, vol.251, no.3, p.855-859.
Shame on the city for attempting such a controversial tactic without explicit knowledge and consent of the community!
The city should give out starter plants of citronella, marigold, basil, lemongrass, and catnip for residents to plant. All of these and more are proven natural repellents, look it up! They can also provide supplies and offer workshops on building affordable homemade non-toxic traps. There are so many better alternatives!
This form of treatment has been done in the past. After that big boom of birth defect and Down syndrome