There are 2 parts to prevention: 1) prevent the tick "bite" and 2) prevent full scale infection after the tick "bite".

A young woman where I worked was bitten by a tick (probably transferred from one of her dogs). She removed it and took it and herself to the Doctor, wherein it and she tested positive for Lyme disease. Therein ensued a substantial period of antibiotics and ultimately, she was clear and OK.

I also knew a guy who was all but an invalid due to undiagnosed and untreated Lyme Disease. Not good.

Where I live, (Maryland, USA) we now just assume that ticks are infected.

Moral of the story; if you remove an embedded tick, don't assume you are safe---take it and yourself (or whoever was bitten) to a Doctor and get pro-active treatment!