Harmful Algal Blooms: Why Should you be Cautious?
While not all Blue-Green Algal Blooms are toxic, when they are, they can have serious negative effects on your health, especially of our elders and children. The only definitive way to tell if it is toxic is to send it to a lab to be tested. Therefore, it is best to avoid contact with blooms at all times.
Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) can negatively affect human health through inhalation, direct contact, and drinking the water with HABs present.
What do to if You Do Come into Contact?
The World Health Organization (W.H.O) has outlined recommendations in case people or animals are near potentially affected areas with blue-green algal blooms. - Avoid areas where the Nation has posted warnings that there are HABs. Also avoid areas where you can visually see the blue-green algae. The W.H.O. says that touching, coming into direct contact, and swallowing blue-green algae has the highest risk to your health.
- Blue-green algae can be inhaled so avoid sitting downwind of a HAB.
- If you're in the water with a blue-green algal bloom wear close fitting clothing.
- Shower or wash yourself after leaving the water in case any algae is present on your person. Also wash and dry all clothing or recreational equipment that was in contact with the bloom.
