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How do I repel mosquito's? Common sense measures work well. Wear long sleeve shirts and pants (light colors are better), avoid areas with standing water, screen windows and doors and use bed nets. If you're going into mosquito-ridden areas, DEET works well for mosquito protection. Deet makes it hard for mosquitos to locate humans. Permethrin is also available to soak your clothes in and can be used on curtains. Permethrin kills mosquitoes by interfering with their nervous system. Other measures are to burn candles (citronella candles are best), clear the area of standing water (including potholes and tires that can collect water) and keep garbage in closed containers.

What is heat rash? A disorder associated with, as the name implies, heat. It is caused by blocked sweat ducts, causing the skin around the pores to swell and rupture. You can minimize this disorder by washing frequently, avoiding extreme heat and using a talc or cornstarch-based powder.

Why do I need a yearly exam? The yearly exam is a way to bring volunteers to the med unit to reinforce health policies, screen for endemic diseases, prompt the PCV to ask any health questions they may have, and to look for signs of unrecognized disease.

Why should I take my mefloquine/doxy? Malaria is a dangerous disease with nonspecific symptoms. If you don't take preventitive measures, we would have to treat almost every fever as malaria, neccesitating frequent blood draws, a trip to the capitol and fansidar or malarone. Not taking mefloquine or doxycycline also increases the chance of drug resistance, which can be dangerous not only to PCV's, but to the local population as well. It also stresses the PCMO.

Since the water is bad, should I drink beer? No. Beer is a diuretic, which causes dehydration.

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