The New York City Department of Health will spray pesticide from trucks in parts of Manhattan and Queens between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday to kill mosquitoes and lessen the risk of the Zika and West Nile viruses.
In case of bad weather, the application will be delayed until Thursday night.
Manhattan neighborhoods to be sprayed include Fort George, Inwood, Sherman Creek, Sugar Hill and Washington Heights. Neighborhoods scheduled to be sprayed in Queens include Auburndale, Bayside, Corona, Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Murray Hill, Pomonok and Queensboro Hill.
Residents – especially those with asthma and other respiratory conditions – are advised to stay indoors while their neighborhoods are sprayed with a low concentration of a product called DUET.
Air conditioners can remain on, but residents in areas being sprayed who want to reduce their exposure to pesticides should set their vents to “closed” or choose the function that allows indoor air to recirculate.
Residents should also remove all toys, outdoor equipment and clothes from areas about to be sprayed and wash any items left out with soap and water before using them again.
The spraying schedule can be found online at https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/west-nile-virus-spray.page or check the @nychealthy account on Twitter.
