Zika virus

[beeckey]

Good morning everyone i am getting very worried about the zika virus.We are going to places that have it.When we booked i had not heard of it almost a year ago.I would like to hear your thoughts on this we go in January thanks

[dtech]

It depends where you are going. I'm assuming Southern Hemisphere. It will be Spring there, so the mossies are not really active. I'm off to South Africa in a couple of weeks and we always take anti mossie spray (ones containing Deet) but apart from that we, and hopefully you, should be ok. Of course the other problem is malaria, which you can also get from some hot countries. But again it depends where and when people go as to wether to take anti malarial tablets.

[beeckey in reply to dtech]

It is a cruise we doing we are doing not telling people with lowered immune not to go like pregnant women so wont give us money back

[dtech in reply to beeckey]

I've got RA, so lowered immune. I did check things out and there was very low risk. So, as I said, hopefully you should be fine. Try asking that hospital. And enjoy the cruise, wherever it's to.

[dtech]

Sorry, just re read your post and you are going in January. Hmm that's the summer, so may be more of a mossie problem than I first thought. Sorry. What you can do is contact the hospital for tropical diseases in London who I found are very helpful.

[beeckey]

Thanks dtech have a Rheumy appointment in a couple of weeks so will ask then.Just hope it is ok.Enjoy South Africa it will be amazing.

[dtech]

Cheers beeckey. You still havnt said where you are cruising. I'm assuming South America, as that's where all the stuff about zika has been about during the olympics.

[beeckey in reply to dtech]

Sorry Caribbean leaving from Barbados

[dtech]

Sounds fantastic. Been on a few cruises but never the Caribbean. We always go from Southampton.

[helixhelix]

Are you, or are you planning to get, pregnant? As that's the real risk with Zika. It seems that outside pregnancy it is rarely more than a mild fever, and infection rates are pretty low. However the government advice for people who are immunosuppressed is:

"After considering the risks, if you plan to travel to an area with active Zika virus transmission then you should adopt scrupulous anti-bite measures (see also Mosquito bite avoidance leaflet).

Ensure you have adequate and appropriate travel insurance prior to travel and that you have a plan of what to do should you become ill whilst travelling; support groups for your condition may be able to advise you on where to obtain specialist travel insurance, if it is required for your particular condition."

And at our doses of drugs, our immune systems are just a bit compromised rather than completely or severely suppressed. So if you are otherwise in reasonable health then it shouldn't be a reason to cancel if you take the recommended precautions.

I feel that there are risks in everything you do, so it's a question of considering which ones you are prepared to accept. Personally I wouldn't go on a cruise because there are too many incidents of food borne illnesses spreading on cruise liners, and you have no control over that as you have to eat on the boat. But I would be happy to go to a Zika area because I can protect myself by being sensible.

[beeckey in reply to helixhelix]

Not planning to get pregnant well past that but thanks feeling a bit happier about it now

[Hidden in reply to helixhelix]

Thank you double Helix... I keep hearing how dangerous this virus is, and of course our silly CDC is throwing billions at it because we all need a vaccine. Sheesh. I agree - pregnancy is a while different issue.

I would just use a homemade mosquito repellant...

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Dang autocorrect... Should have said "whole different issue"

[Mandalou]

Hi beeckey

As Helix says its only really relevant for you if you plan to become pregnant.

Equally our immune systems are working, just dampened down.

If I was in your shoes I would go and take anti mossie precautions like wearing light coloured clothes covering your legs and arms from dusk onwards and use a spray with high Deet content.

[helixhelix in reply to Mandalou]

According to the gov't advice, the Mosquitos carrying Zika bite during the day, so cover up at all times. Here's the advice leaflet

gov.uk/government/uploads/s...

[beeckey]

Thanks i will read all the information thanks again

[earthwitch]

Check out the government foreign travel advisories online - they will give up to date advice on what areas to avoid and how to minimise and deal with risks like that.

gov.uk/guidance/zika-virus-...

[jetttsd]

I'm also taking a Caribbean cruise in January. I spoke to my rummy and he said I'm in no greater risk than anyone else. Just use repellant. I am on both metho. And humira.

[beeckey in reply to jetttsd]

Thanks very much for that i will take plenty of spray with me.Where are you going on your cruise

[jetttsd in reply to beeckey]

Amber Cove, St. Thomas, San Juan, Grand Turk. Hoping for a relaxing time. How about you?