Pop star Charli XCX's recent music video for her single 'Wink Wink', filmed in long grass in Essex, has ignited a social media debate about the risks of tick-borne Lyme disease. The video shows the singer lounging in a meadow, prompting fans to express concern about tick exposure. Charli XCX responded on Instagram stories, stating: 'I won't lie I was really stressed about this.'
Tick Season Peak and Urban Spread
Julia Knight of Lyme Disease UK warns that the UK is currently at the peak of tick season. 'Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease,' she explains. While ticks are typically associated with heathland and forests, Knight notes that 'they have been found in urban parks and gardens.' This includes locations like Hampstead Heath in London, where celebrities such as Zoë Kravitz, Harry Styles, Sarah Pidgeon, and Joe Alwyn have been spotted relaxing in long grass.
Understanding Ticks and Lyme Disease Risks
Ticks are arachnids, related to spiders and scorpions, that feed on the blood of mammals and birds. They cut into the host's skin and insert a feeding tube, sometimes secreting a cement-like substance that makes removal difficult. While tick bites often cause only minor irritation, the primary danger is the transmission of diseases like Lyme disease. Untreated Lyme disease can lead to serious complications, including heart problems, joint pain and swelling, and nerve pain.
The number of ticks in England and across the UK has been rising in recent years. Lyme disease rates have steadily increased since the first confirmed UK case in 1985. Infected ticks are found in every UK county, with higher risk areas including the Scottish Highlands, south and southwest England, and parts of East Anglia. However, official figures likely underestimate cases, as many are diagnosed clinically without laboratory confirmation. Knight explains: 'We just don't know how many cases we have each year,' because patients with a classic bull's-eye rash can be treated without blood tests, and those cases are not officially counted.
Climate Change and Tick Activity
The 'uptick' in cases, as Knight puts it with a groan at her own pun, is attributed to a heating climate. Traditionally, tick season spanned early spring to late autumn, but warmer winters now allow ticks to remain active year-round. Research is underway to develop vaccines and drugs for Lyme disease, but for now, prevention is key.
Precautions and Tick Removal
When in grassy or wooded areas, experts advise covering skin, sticking to pathways, using insect repellent, and checking for ticks after potential exposure. Knight recommends scanning the entire body thoroughly, as nymph-stage ticks can be smaller than poppy seeds, and even fully fed ticks are no bigger than a baked bean. Ticks are attracted to warm body parts and can hide in crevices, so check between toes, behind knees, under armpits, between legs, and along hairlines and behind ears—especially if lying in long grass or if a child's head brushed against grass.
NHS guidance for tick removal is to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible with fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool and pull upwards steadily, avoiding squeezing or crushing the tick. The goal is to remove it in one piece. Medical attention is only necessary if a rash or flu-like symptoms develop, as these can indicate Lyme disease even without a rash.
Enjoying Nature Safely
Despite the risks, experts emphasize that people do not need to avoid nature. Ecologist Dr. Bethan Purse, who researches tick-borne infections, says that anyone who wants to 'canoodle with a loved one in Hampstead Heath’s long grass definitely can still go and do that. They just need to have an eye on it.' Awareness and simple precautions can reduce the risk of tick bites and Lyme disease.
