Aug. 17, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
The city will begin spraying pesticides to keep the number of mosquitos at bay in parts of central Queens on Aug. 18.
The spraying–which will be from trucks–will begin at around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday night and will continue until 6 a.m. the following day, according to the NYC Department of Health.
The spraying will occur largely south of Queens Boulevard in sections of the 11373, 11374, 11375, 11378, 11379, 11385, 11415, 11418, and 11421 zip codes.
The area roughly spans 64th Street in Maspeth to the Van Wyck Expressway in Jamaica.
Other neighborhoods included in the spraying are Middle Village, Ridgewood, Glendale, Forest Hills, Richmond Hill, Kew Gardens, Elmhurst and Rego Park. An eastern portion of Forest Park will also be sprayed along with the northern half of Woodhaven.
The health department says it will be spraying very low concentrations of DeltaGard or Anvil from trucks to reduce mosquito activity and combat the risk of West Nile virus.
The pesticides, according to the DOH, pose no real danger to people and pets, but some individuals who are sensitive to spray ingredients may experience short term eye or throat irritation. People with respiratory conditions may also be affected.
The DOH recommends that residents stay indoors whenever possible during spraying.
Skin and clothing exposed to pesticides should be washed with soap and water.
In case of bad weather Tuesday, the city will instead start spraying at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19.
For more information, visit the DOH’s website.