School’s almost out, the hot weather is just about here and summer vacation planning is in full effect. With Zika Virus still a serious threat around the globe, not all destinations are deemed safe for pregnant (or soon to be pregnant) travellers.
Dr. Isaac Bogoch, Tropical Infectious Diseases Specialist, Toronto General Hospital walks us through what we need to know about this frightening virus!
“The main concern is the association between getting infected with Zika virus during pregnancy, and having poor outcomes on the developing child – namely microcephaly, but also other potential adverse outcomes such as growth restriction, visual and hearing problems.” While many of us are aware of the risks at this point, not all of us are aware that precautions CAN be taken to avoid transmitting this virus according to Dr Bogoch. ‘Travelers should wear mosquito repellent, and wear long sleeves and long pants. The mosquitoes that transmit this infection are particularly active at dawn and dusk, so that is a good time to cover up.’ Although nothing is fool proof, and those pesky insects can still find a way to wreak havoc, your best bet if you are pregnant is most likely to avoid the infected areas all together. You can find a complete list of these locations on the Centers for disease control and prevention site.
Vaccines are in the works, but we cant count on them just yet according to Dr Bogoch, “It will likely be many months to perhaps over a year before we start to see larger trials in humans.” So your best bet for a fun and safe summer vacay this year if pregnant or planning to be, may be within Canada! ‘Canadians are at a very very low risk. As of now, it appears that the mosquitoes capable of transmitting Zika virus are not found in Canada.’ With all of the great spots this country has to offer, that sounds just about perfect to me!
