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Expert: Do these 3 things to do now to protect against Zika virus

ATLANTA -- A local insect expert has a serious warning for everyone in Atlanta: the mosquito carrying the Zika Virus -- Aedes aegypti -- has been spotted in the city.

Dr. Ron Harrison with Orkin is an insect expert, but he says even he was concerned when learned the species had made it to town.

"This is a game changer," he told 11Alive's Kaitlyn Ross. "So we need to make sure we prevent any type of mosquito bite."

The virus, which can be spread by mosquito bites or sexual contact, has caused birth defects in some infants whose mothers contracted Zika.

Local governments have already stepped up their games in response; on Monday, Fulton County started targeting the virus by allocating $500 million dollars to fight it. But Harrison says it's not enough to just rely on the municipalities spraying front yards.

QUIZ | Think you're prepared? Test your mosquito knowledge.

Now that the mosquitos are here, Harrison, who works with Orkin, had three important takeaways for people in order to protect themselves against the Zika Virus.

1. Make insect repellant part of your daily routine

Unlike the species of mosquitos typically found here in the southeast, the mosquito carrying the Zika Virus is active throughout the day and not just during the evenings. Because of this, Harrison says putting on bug spray should become just as routine for people as fixing your hair or putting on sunscreen or makeup.

Harrison said it's even more important for pregnant women or women who want to become pregnant to protect against potential birth defects, which have been linked to the Zika Virus.

PHOTOS | Zika virus linked to birth defects

2. Go on the offensive

Harrison says that all the vegetation in and around Atlanta is the perfect place for mosquitoes to hang out in. He recommends people survey their yards once a week to make sure there's no standing water that the mosquitos could breed in. He also urged homeowners to consider to trim back any overgrown plants and bushes.

He also recommends getting your yard professionally treated for mosquitoes

But he says it's not enough to just take care of your own yard, which leads to the third recommendation:

3. Work with your neighbors to mosquito-proof your area

According to Harrison, the mosquitos carrying the Zika Virus have a flying radius of 100 yards, so watching your own yard isn't enough.

"You have neighbors on several sides. What are they doing," he said. "These are important things to pay attention to, because you may have done everything in your yard, but your neighbor may not have."

PHOTOS | 5 things to know about the Zika virus

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