Like Ebola, Zika is another virus spreading around the world. And, there’s a Zika virus travel warning. Of course, you want to know how it affects you and most importantly how it affects your travelling decisions. But, before you start crossing destinations off your bucket list, you need to know the FACTS about Zika. To get the facts, a few questions need to be answered…..the what, how and why.
What is the Zika Virus? Well, the Zika virus is an epidemic in Brazil and is spread by the bite of the Aedes species mosquito. There isn’t a vaccine or medicine for the Zika virus. The symptoms of the virus are fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. For pregnant women, Zika can spread to the fetus and cause potential birth defects.
How to prevent the Zika Virus? Of course, once you know something is out there, and then you want to know how to avoid it. First of all, you can choose not to travel to destinations where the Zika has been reported. However, if you don’t want to change travel plans, then you need to use EPA-registered insect repellent, wear long sleeves and stay in screened in or air conditioned areas.
Why are health officials predicting few cases of Zika for people going to the Olympics? Surprised? With all the talk about Ziki, why low infections? According to the journal of Annals Internal Medicine, the virus affects Brazilians more than those visiting the country. First of all, most pregnant women are not coming to Brazil because of the travel advisory. And, most people coming to the Olympics will be staying in air conditioned hotels and more than likely those locations are away from stagnant waters. Plus, most Olympic venues are expected to be under massive mosquito control. And, you may not know this but August is winter time in Brazil, which means mosquito biting will be down.
So if you want to head over to Rio, then take advantage of the opportunity. However, you still need to take the Zika virus seriously. You should take caution (especially if you’re pregnant) and protect yourself in South America so you don’t back anything back to your home country. That’s it for now….love to hear your thoughts! 
Hugs,
