Zika virus concerns

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Anyone concerned about the Zika virus in regards to WDW trip?

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/health/sns-bc-fl--zika-virus-florida-20160202-story.html



from WFTV9 (couldn't get the link to copy) today 2/3/16
Gov. Rick Scott has declared a health emergency in four counties due to the Zika virus.

At least nine cases of the mosquito-borne illness have been detected in Florida. Health officials believe all of the cases are from people who contracted the disease while traveling to affected countries.

Scott signed the order Wednesday to cover Miami-Dade, Lee, Hillsborough and Santa Rosa counties.

The Zika virus is linked to brain deformities in babies and is causing concern among public health officials worldwide. The virus is primarily spread through mosquito bites, but investigators had been exploring the possibility it could be sexually transmitted.

U.S. health officials say a person in Texas became infected with Zika through sex, in the first case of the illness being transmitted within the United States.

 

[Pix]

From the information I've seen, I'd be far less concerned about Zika than the flu for multiple reasons. I mean, I wouldn't want either, but I'd worry a lot more about the flu (if I was going to worry about either).

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

Mosquitos are terrible in Florida, yet Disney seems to keep them well under control. So I would be less concerned about Zika.
But Disney is quite a melting pot. If someone has something, and people are standing around them all day in the queues, it could spread quickly. So I agree with Pix that the Flu would be a concern as would colds.

Having said that, pregnant women should exercise an abundance of caution.

 

[crisi]

Mosquitos are terrible in Florida, yet Disney seems to keep them well under control. So I would be less concerned about Zika.
But Disney is quite a melting pot. If someone has something, and people are standing around them all day in the queues, it could spread quickly. So I agree with Pix that the Flu would be a concern as would colds.

Having said that, pregnant women should exercise an abundance of caution.

I'm not having sex with the people I stand around in line near - your trips must be WAY different than mine.

 

[Pix]

I'm not having sex with the people I stand around in line near - your trips must be WAY different than mine.

You don't need to have sex to be infected with Zika or the flu or to get a cold...

But I do applaud you for not having sex in line. That would be just a tad bit awkward, some may say inappropriate (you know, like cops and the general public).

 

[jekjones1558]

If there are pregnant DVCers out there who are concerned about upcoming trips, I hope that MS will work with them to reschedule their trips, including waiving holding penalties and allowing people to bank points from canceled reservations even if beyond the banking window. That would be the right thing to do.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

My husband and I are planning on trying for our second baby pretty much as soon as we get back from our Easter Disney trip. We'll also be in Sarasota at the beach on that trip. I honestly wasn't worried at all, and was just chalking it up to media hype, until I heard on the news today that currently the CDC is advising women who are infected with Zika to avoid pregnancy for 2 YEARS after infection. Bigger problem is that 80% of people infected with the virus are asymptomatic. So the biggest concern for me would be contracting the disease in FL via a mosquito, not knowing I was infected, and then getting pregnant. Or having my husband get it and give it to me.

Until the CDC issues warnings about FL, I won't cancel my trip. I am not an alarmist in any sense, and this morning's update had me concerned. For me, the scariest thing is that the disease hasn't been widely studied, and is not as well known as many other infections. I'm also hoping that late March/early April is still early enough in "mosquito season" that it won't be bad yet.

Thoughts? Any other pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant FL travelers concerned?

 

[southerngirl528]

Those 4 counties are way south of Orange and Osceola county.

There really is no definitive beginning and end to mosquito season here in Fl because it is quite warm year round. I live very close to WDW and spraying is done at least a couple of nights a week. I am a major mosquito magnet and have been my entire life (can't figure out if it's because I'm so sweet?? *wink, wink* Or if it's because I stink….LOL). I don't see a lot of mosquitos because of the spraying. Sadly this also means I almost never see a firefly either.

I do agree with DizneyLizzy as far as not being alarmist. That said, if I was pregnant or wanting to become pregnant in the near future I would be sure to follow the updates on this. It's weird that as far as I know the first case was reported in Hawaii but Zika was NOT contracted in Hawaii but someone who had apparently moved from Brazil to Hawaii gave birth and they discovered the mother had Zika. Interesting that all of a sudden we are getting warnings here out of the blue.

 

[wanderlust7]

I honestly wasn't worried at all, and was just chalking it up to media hype, until I heard on the news today that currently the CDC is advising women who are infected with Zika to avoid pregnancy for 2 YEARS after infection.

I hadn't heard of this revision to CDC guidelines and it sounded very extreme, so I googled it. I think what you heard is probably this?
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning pregnant women against travel to those areas; health officials in several of those countries are telling female citizens to avoid becoming pregnant, in some cases for up to two years."

From:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/26/health/zika-what-you-need-to-know/

But that is the guideline for Zika affected countries, for women in general, probably because they hope to get it under control within 2 years. Before they get it under control (or a vaccine is developed), all pregnancies in the affected areas are at risk.

Current CDC guideline is this:
"Can a previous Zika virus infection cause someone who later becomes pregnant to have an infant with microcephaly?
We do not know the risk to the baby if a woman is infected with Zika virus while she is pregnant. However, Zika virus infection does not pose a risk of birth defects for future pregnancies. Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week. The virus will not cause infections in a baby that is conceived after the virus is cleared from the blood."

From:
http://www.cdc.gov/zika/pregnancy/question-answers.html

Based on what is known today, I don't think you need to worry.

 

[JWigs]

We had pre planned a trip to Aulani in Sept before Zika came out of nowhere.

I am super allergic to mosquitoes unfortunately and we are trying to get pregnant. I am concerned but we are still going to go. I think that it's something each person has to look at differently but I will say I am more scared than my husband about going. I am not pregnant yet so for now it might not be a big deal but you can also get it from having sex with someone who has it (as recently reported in news). Scary stuff.

 

[Lks123456]

I'll be about 34 weeks when we take our kids to Disney in April. I asked my doc and she said to go and wasn't a bit concerned and said its overblown.

That was before the gov declared a state of emergency for those 4 counties.
I don't know. I think I'm just going to watch what happens, but I can't imagine cancelling when all these cases are still due to traveling.

 

[crisi]

But I do applaud you for not having sex in line. That would be just a tad bit awkward, some may say inappropriate (you know, like cops and the general public).

I'm pretty sure that during Pop Warner week I may have witnessed an attempt at conception in the back of the Tiki Birds show

Zika is carried by the same mosquito that carries Dengue, Yellow Fever and West Nile. If you aren't freaked out about getting Yellow Fever at Disney, I wouldn't worry too much. As far as TTC, it took us three years (never in the Tiki Birds show though), there is a big difference in my experience between TTC and getting pregnant.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I'll be about 34 weeks when we take our kids to Disney in April. I asked my doc and she said to go and wasn't a bit concerned and said its overblown.

That was before the gov declared a state of emergency for those 4 counties.
I don't know. I think I'm just going to watch what happens, but I can't imagine cancelling when all these cases are still due to traveling.

At 34 weeks your baby's brain is pretty much fully developed, so I don't think you would be at risk for microcephaly anyway. Have fun!!

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I hadn't heard of this revision to CDC guidelines and it sounded very extreme, so I googled it. I think what you heard is probably this?
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning pregnant women against travel to those areas; health officials in several of those countries are telling female citizens to avoid becoming pregnant, in some cases for up to two years."

From:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/26/health/zika-what-you-need-to-know/

But that is the guideline for Zika affected countries, for women in general, probably because they hope to get it under control within 2 years. Before they get it under control (or a vaccine is developed), all pregnancies in the affected areas are at risk.

Current CDC guideline is this:
"Can a previous Zika virus infection cause someone who later becomes pregnant to have an infant with microcephaly?
We do not know the risk to the baby if a woman is infected with Zika virus while she is pregnant. However, Zika virus infection does not pose a risk of birth defects for future pregnancies. Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week. The virus will not cause infections in a baby that is conceived after the virus is cleared from the blood."

From:
http://www.cdc.gov/zika/pregnancy/question-answers.html

Based on what is known today, I don't think you need to worry.

Thanks!! I figure it's still far away, so I'll wait and see where things are with this come early March. I'm glad I'm not the only one mildly concerned about this. Like I said, I'm never an alarmist about these things, so it helps to know I'm not the only one thinking about things

 

[Ariel8676]

Zika has been around since the 1940's.... Out of approx. 4,200 (suspected) microcephaly cases only 6 tested positive for Zika. If this disease has been around for decades, what changed? In Brazil in 2014 they mandated that all pregnant woman receive the Tdap vaccine..2015 there was a surge of microcephaly, then factor in the large amount of sketchy pesticides and GMO mosquitoes and its just a recipe for disaster. Im not saying that you should not protect yourself, but it just doesn't make sense.

 

[ScubaCat]

I will offer to do my part by accepting incoming DVC point transfers from anyone worried about the Zika virus. Let me know!

 

[ScubaCat]

Zika has been around since the 1940's.... Out of approx. 4,200 (suspected) microcephaly cases only 6 tested positive for Zika. If this disease has been around for decades, what changed? In Brazil in 2014 they mandated that all pregnant woman receive the Tdap vaccine..2015 there was a surge of microcephaly, then factor in the large amount of sketchy pesticides and GMO mosquitoes and its just a recipe for disaster. Im not saying that you should not protect yourself, but it just doesn't make sense.

It's been well over a year since news media tried to whip everyone into a state of panic over ebola. I guess they needed something to break up the horrible 24/7 election coverage somehow.

 

[jmkjr72]

We have become a country of hypochondriacs

If it isn't one illness it's another

The fact that so many people out there are aiding these bugs by the constant use of antibacterial and antimicrobial soaps and sanatizers doesn't help

Heck if your worried about this there are about a 1000 other diseases to worry about too and you should never leave your house

9 cases that came from outside the US and the state of emergancy was declared to allow them to spray more pesticides

 

[apple9117]

Hoping this zika virus isn't a big deal

 

[goofy4prez]

I'm not concerned at all; In my opinion it is typical media, end of the world, apocalyptic, sensational, tabloid journalism to get people to tune into their programs, websites and publications. We heard the impending doom from the Swine Flu, Ebola, West Nile virus, SARS, and now Zika Virus over the last 10 years or so... I'm not making light of these serious illnesses, but I'm not going to live my life in fear of breathing next to someone 5 feet away, I'm not going to carry a tube of hand sanitizer and use it every time I touch something, and I'm not going to wear a full suit of armor in 90 degree temperatures in June to keep from getting bit by a mosquito; I'm simply not going to fear these viruses anymore than I am allowing terrorism from keeping me from going to WDW.