A discussion with a bed bug expert on reconciling competing risks from bed bugs and COVID-19 in rental housing
The CDC and many states have put eviction moratoriums in place to protect tenants from losing their homes due to economic hardship brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. But landlords can get around this and evict tenants anyway by citing bed bug infestations as a safety concern or source of endangerment to others.
Stephen Kells, PhD, professor of entomology at the University of Minnesota and noted bed bug expert, makes the case that it is far worse to evict someone during the pandemic than it is to reduce and contain bed bugs in a known place. Eviction increases the risk of spreading bed bugs and, potentially, the virus. “Bed bug hazards don’t rise to the current level of risks posed by Covid, ” said Kells. “Compared with COVID-19, bed bugs represent a chronic problem and perhaps should not be considered an immediate threat.”
Bed bugs are not competent vectors of disease. The health risks associated with bed bugs are generally stress, irritation or infection from bites, and, very rarely, allergic reactions and anemia if the infestation is not addressed. While these last two conditions may elevate the risk of bed bugs, all of these conditions are preventable with proper treatment of the infestation.
“When considering these risks compared with those of COVID-19 exposure and the possible outcomes (i.e., short- and long-term individual health, subsequent spread of COVID, and risks of burden on the health system), I feel that bed bugs do not rise to a level of immediacy that exceeds the present risks in this pandemic,” continued Kells. “Also, there are effective measures that can be employed to minimize or eliminate exposure from bed bugs.”
The solution most bed bug experts agree on is to encourage property managers, pest management professionals, and residents to work as a team to resolve bed bug issues and find out what can be improved. “Prevention and control tactics have been developed to effectively suppress bed bug infestations, and often in situations I find the ’blame‘ for failure of control is not solely focused on one party or the other,” said Kells.
Weighing the relative risks presented by bed bugs and COVID-19, it’s clear that the public health risk of evicting someone during a pandemic far outweighs the effort needed to address bed bug infestations. We know how to kill bed bugs and it takes time, attention to details, and the right tools. Find out more about bed bug control with integrated pest management (IPM) by talking to an expert at your state’s university extension service or contact me at StopPests ([email protected]) to get advice on using IPM and hiring a good contractor to conduct bed bug treatments.
Further Resources
The CDC’s eviction moratorium:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-eviction-declaration.html
This resource from NOLO lists the state eviction moratoriums and other tenant protections established due to Covid-19:
University of Minnesota “Let’s Beat the Bug” - bed bug resources for property managers and tenants:
StopPests – bed bug resources for affordable housing:
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