A vaccine for preventing Lyme disease was once available. However, it was removed from the market in 2002 by the manufacturer amid concerns of serious side effects (e.g., arthritis, neurological problems) in some patients.  Other vaccines are being studied, although none are available for the prevention of Lyme disease. Consequently, personal and environmental precautions are necessary to reduce the chance of exposure, including: 

• Habitually inspecting the skin for ticks. It is also important to check children after they spend time outdoors.
  
  
• Removing ticks promptly and properly once spotted. Using tweezers, grab hold of the tick as close to the skin as possible. Pull back evenly without squeezing or jerking while removing the tick. Follow by disinfecting hands and skin after the tick has been removed.
  
  
• Knowing which outdoor locations pose the biggest threat (e.g., heavily wooded areas).
  
  
• Covering the skin in areas with high tick populations. Wearing proper clothing (e.g., long-sleeved shirts, long pants tucked into socks or gaiters) helps ward off ticks.
  
  
• Using tick repellants. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests taking more precautions in May, June and July, and applying DEET-containing repellant to clothes and exposed skin and permethrin to clothes. Certain people (e.g., young children, pregnant or breastfeeding women) may not be able to use DEET.
  
  
• Not letting pet roams free. In addition, dogs, cats and horses should be inspected for ticks after going for a walk, especially in wooded or overgrown areas. Lyme disease has also been diagnosed in goats and cattle, and other species might also be vulnerable, according to the Lyme Disease Foundation.
  
  
• Installing a tall fence. Because deer carry ticks and often host Lyme disease, building a high fence may reduce the possibility of contracting Lyme disease.
  
  
• Keeping lawns trimmed. Regular lawn maintenance increases exposure to the sun, thereby discouraging ticks from residing in the grass.
  
  
• Laying wood chips. Putting down mulch along the perimeter of a property can discourage ticks from traveling out of wooded areas to a person’s lawn.
  
  
• Treating structures. Certain treatments can kill ticks and mice (their hosts) and reduce exposure when applied to stone walls and areas bordering forests.