Thanks for the industry business boost, CDC

This rat makes getting lunch look easy, but that has not been the case for many rodents during the COVID-19 quarantine. PHOTO: ANDWILL/ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS/GETTY IMAGES

It seems that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning the public about a side of rodents with which pest management professionals (PMPs) are already well-acquainted: Rodents will exhibit aggressive and cannibalistic behavior under stressful conditions.

The repercussions of the COVID-19 quarantine certainly qualify as stressful conditions, especially for rats: Reduced restaurant activity in urban areas equates to less food and vegetation for rats to scavenge. You might say the rats are getting “hangry.”

While the CDC’s updated recommendations are fairly straightforward, the media coverage that resulted this week is anything but:

• CDC Warns That Rats Are So Hungry Due To Restaurant Closures That They’ve Formed Cannibalistic Rat Armies
• The CDC Issues A Warning About The Rise Of Aggressive Cannibal Rats As If We Already Didn’t Have Enough To Worry About Right Now
• New CDC warning old hat to Chicagoans: Rats scurry for food during COVID-19 restaurant closures
• Jersey Shore lockdown may cause rats to eat each other and attack humans
• Restaurants might be closed, but at least we have cannibal rats

If nothing else, perhaps all this renewed attention on the need for rodent control (just like back in March, with the New Orleans, La., coverage) will lead to even more business this season. And this time, the warning is actually warranted, unlike the hysteria that arose from “murder hornets” just a couple weeks ago.

Has the CDC’s announcement led to an increase in calls for your business? Drop us a line at pmpeditor@northcoastmedia.net. In our June issue, we’re exploring the results of our Summer 2020 Survey and what it might mean to PMPs. Stay tuned!

Read more COVID-19 coverage here: MyPMP.net/COVID-19