Martha's Vineyard Hospital plans to follow hundreds of people who have been bitten by lone star ticks to get a better understanding of the tick-borne allergy that has swept across the Island.

In this week's 10-minute wrap-up of the news from the Vineyard Gazette newsroom, the Island’s tick problems have put local officials on the forefront of addressing alpha-gal syndrome, the tick-borne allergy to red meat. Plus, Chappaquiddick will become the site of a new experiment aimed at reducing the deer population to help curb the spread of ticks.

Chappaquiddick has been ground zero on Martha’s Vineyard for ticks and tick-borne illnesses. Now, as the problem continues to grow across the entire Island, some of the region’s top tick scientists hope to turn the sandy spit into a living laboratory that can be part of the solution. 

Island epidemiologist Lea Hamner and clinician Aubrey Stimola Ryan convened with the nation’s top physicians, epidemiologists and entomologists to pool knowledge on alpha-gal, the allergy to mammalian products transmitted by lone star ticks.

Researchers are turning to Martha’s Vineyard and other New England areas that have been hit hard with Lyme disease in order to better understand why some people experience symptoms of the tick-borne illness long after treatment. 

At a roundtable talk with Island leaders at the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury on Wednesday, Governor Maura Healey said her administration wants to put money toward Islandwide tick efforts.

In an effort to combat tick-borne illnesses and allergies on the Vineyard, Tick Free MV is looking to reduce the Island’s deer population by 70 per cent, in part by using tools from the state to open up a year-round deer harvest.

In this week's 10-minute wrap-up of the news from the Vineyard Gazette, the hospital will open a combined express care and dedicated tick clinic to address the growing need for immediate care without having to go to the emergency room. And celebrating Juneteenth on the Island.

Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is rolling out a new joint express care and dedicated tick clinic to deal with the rising need for same-day access to medical professionals and the growing concerns around tick-borne illnesses. 

In this week's 10-minute wrap-up of the news from the Vineyard Gazette newsroom, Martha’s Vineyard businesses are adapting to growing concerns about ticks by providing information to residents and visitors to overcome fears.