Talking Points: Zika- August 14, 2017 (Updated)
Talking Points – Zika Virus
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The following Talking Points can be used in conversations with the media and customers when discussing Zika, a mosquito borne virus. (Updated August 14, 2017)
1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning women who are pregnant not to travel to destinations where Zika is spread by mosquitoes, but it does not advise against travel for any others. Instead, it advises all other travelers to “practice enhanced precautions” in preventing mosquito bites.
2. While Zika does not pose a major threat to most people, there are precautions all travelers can take to minimize their risk of being bitten by an infected mosquito. There are also precautions bitten travelers should take after they’ve returned home.
3. We provide the facts so our clients can make an informed decision about their travel plans.
Below you will find additional information, supporting material and statistics to help further illustrate each talking point.
1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning women who are pregnant not to travel to destinations where Zika is spread by mosquitoes, but it does not advise against travel for any others. Instead, it advises all other travelers to “practice enhanced precautions” in preventing mosquito bites.
On August 8, 2017, the CDC updated its longstanding Zika Alert Level 2 (Practice Enhanced Precautions) for countries around the globe. No new countries have been found to have Zika.
Despite still having an alert, Puerto Rico’s Zika epidemic has been declared over.
o According to CNN, “There have only been 10 new cases reported since the end of April, according to the Puerto Rico Department of Health” and the governor’s office announced [June 5] that the Zika virus epidemic is over.
Although the epidemic is officially over, mosquito control and surveillance will continue, as will screening and monitoring of pregnant women.”
The Cayman Islands have been officially removed from the CDC’s Zika alert.
o TTG reports that “There have been no locally transmitted cases of Zika in 2017 and ‘just one imported case’ in early February 2016.”
On November 18, 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Committee (EC) on Zika met, and “The Director-General accepted the recommendations of the EC and declared the end of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). However, Zika virus and associated consequences remains a significant enduring public health challenge.”
The CDC travel alert (Level 2-Practice Enhanced Precautions) for people traveling to regions and certain countries and U.S. territories where Zika virus transmission by mosquito is ongoing. The alert includes:
o Singapore and Maldives in Asia;
o Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (a US territory), Saba, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean;
o Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama in Central America;
o American Samoa, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga in the Pacific Islands;
o Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela in South America;
o Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde in Africa;
o Mexico in North America.
For pregnant women or women trying to become pregnant, the CDC offers the follow recommendations:
o “A pregnant woman can pass Zika virus to her fetus. Infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects. CDC recommends special precautions for the following groups:
Women who are pregnant:
Should not travel to destinations where Zika has been locally transmitted by mosquitoes (exceptions are parts of the following countries where elevation exceeds 6,500 feet, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Venezuela.
If you must travel, talk to your doctor first and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during your trip.
If you have a partner who lives in or has traveled to an area where Zika transmission is ongoing, either use condoms or do not have sex during your pregnancy.
Women who are trying to become pregnant:
Before you or your partner travel, talk to your doctor about your plans to become pregnant and the risk of Zika virus infection.
See CDC guidance for how long you should wait to get pregnant after travel to the destinations where Zika is locally transmitted by mosquitoes.
You and your partner should strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites.
People who have traveled to the destinations and have a pregnant partner should use condoms or not have sex during the pregnancy.
The CDC reports, “Public health officials have reported that mosquitoes in each of the countries identified below are infected with Zika virus and are spreading it to people (Text PLAN to 855-255-5606 to receive Zika updates for your destination)”:
o Asia
Currently includes: Singapore and Maldives
o Africa
Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau
o Mexico
The CDC advises that “Women who are pregnant should not travel to any area of Mexico below 6,500 feet. See map.
As of August 7, 2017, there have been 9,232 confirmed locally-transmitted cases of Zika within 26 of Mexico’s 31 states, according to the Secretaria de Salud.
There are 386 cases of locally-transmitted cases of Zika reported in Quintana Roo, which includes Cancun, Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya.
“Hotels, restaurants, airports, and other areas frequently visited by tourists have in place mosquito eradication practices and closely follow international guidelines to monitor and control their growth as much as possible,” according to Mexico Tourism.
o The Caribbean Currently includes: Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; The Bahamas; Barbados; Bonaire; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Cuba; Curaçao; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Haiti; Jamaica; Martinique; Montserrat; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a US territory; Saba; Saint Barthelemy (St. Barts); Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Martin; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Sint Eustatius; Sint Maarten; Trinidad and Tobago; Turks and Caicos; US Virgin Islands
o Central America Currently includes: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
o The Pacific Islands Currently includes: American Samoa, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Kosrae) New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga
o South America Currently includes: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela
“Because Zika virus is primarily spread by mosquitoes, CDC recommends that travelers to (each of the above countries) protect themselves from mosquito bites. The mosquitoes that spread Zika usually do not live at elevations above 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) because of environmental conditions. Travelers whose itineraries are limited to areas above this elevation are at minimal risk of getting Zika from a mosquito.” The CDC continues:
o Sexual transmission of Zika virus is also possible, so you should use condoms or not have sex during your trip.
o Many people infected with Zika virus do not get sick. Among those who do develop symptoms, sickness is usually mild, with symptoms that last for several days to a week. Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare disorder that can cause
muscle weakness and paralysis for a few weeks to several months. CDC research suggests that GBS is strongly associated with Zika; however, only a small proportion of people with recent Zika virus infection get GBS. Most people fully recover from GBS, but some have permanent damage. For more information, see Zika and GBS.
2. While Zika does not pose a major threat to most people, there are precautions all travelers can take to minimize their risk of being bitten by an infected mosquito. There are also precautions bitten travelers should take after they’ve returned home.
According to CDC Director Tom Frieden, apart from pregnant women, the Zika virus is not a major threat to the rest of the population. In testimony before Congress on February 10, 2016, Frieden said:
o Approximately 80% of the people who contract the virus will have no symptoms at all.
o The rest will only have mild symptoms.
o The virus remains in infected people’s blood for about a week.
While there is no vaccine or medication to prevent Zika, the CDC offers some tips to travelers on avoiding mosquito bites and what to do if you get bitten:
o What can travelers do to prevent Zika? There is no vaccine or medicine for Zika. You can protect yourself by preventing mosquito bites:
Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE, also called para-menthane-diol [PMD]), IR3535, or 2-undecanone (methyl nonyl ketone). Always use as directed.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women can use all EPA-registered insect repellents, including DEET, according to the product label.
Most repellents, including DEET, can be used on children older than 2 months. (OLE should not be used on children younger than 3 years.)
Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). You can buy pre-treated clothing and gear or treat them yourself.
Stay in places with air conditioning and window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
Sleep under a mosquito bed net if air conditioned or screened rooms are not available or if sleeping outdoors.
Mosquito netting can be used to cover babies younger than 2 months old in carriers, strollers, or cribs to protect them from mosquito bites.
Because Zika can be spread by sex, if you have sex (vaginal, anal, or oral) while traveling, you should use condoms.
o After travel:
Many people infected with Zika virus do not feel sick. If a mosquito bites an infected person while the virus is still in that person’s blood, it can spread the virus by biting another person. If you travel to (countries with locally confirmed cases of Zika, you should take steps to prevent mosquito bites for 3 weeks after your trip, even if you don’t feel sick, so
that you don’t spread Zika to uninfected mosquitoes that can spread the virus to other people.
If you have visited an infected area and have a pregnant partner, you should either use condoms or not have sex during the pregnancy.
If you are thinking about pregnancy, talk with your health care provider and wait to become pregnant (see “Women Trying to Become Pregnant” for how long to wait). You also should use condoms after travel to protect your sex partners from Zika even if you are not pregnant or trying to become pregnant.
For more information, see Zika and Sexual Transmission.
If you feel sick and think you may have Zika:
Talk to your doctor if you develop a fever with a rash, joint pain, or red eyes. Tell him or her about your travel.
Take acetaminophen (paracetamol) to relieve fever and pain. Do not take aspirin, products containing aspirin, or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen.
Get lots of rest and drink plenty of liquids.
If you are pregnant:
Talk to a doctor or other health care provider after your trip, even if you don’t feel sick. Pregnant travelers returning from an infected area, or who have had possible sexual exposure, should be offered testing for Zika virus infection.
If you develop a fever with a rash, joint pain, or red eyes, talk to your doctor immediately and tell him or her about your travel or possible sexual exposure.
If you do not have symptoms, testing should be offered if you see a health care provider, up to 12 weeks after you return from travel or your last possible sexual exposure.
The CDC has updated its recommendations for avoiding the transmission of Zika sexually here.
For women who are thinking about pregnancy and have traveled to an area where mosquito-borne Zika is prevalent, the CDC offers guidance here and advises they wait at least 8 weeks before trying to get pregnant.
3. We provide the facts so our clients can make an informed decision about their travel plans.
We closely monitor the U.S. Department of State and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for travel alerts as well as the more severe travel warnings for all destinations, including those that are most popular with our clients.
o Should we become aware of an issue for a specific destination, we alert clients who may be planning to travel there so they can determine for themselves if they still wish to travel.
o We would not send our clients to a particular destination if we believe it to be unsafe. Should we become aware of an issue for a specific destination, we alert clients who may be planning to travel there and provide detailed information on
the situation so they can make informed decisions for themselves if they still wish to travel.
o Also, should we become aware of an issue for a specific destination where a client is currently located; we try to immediately contact the client to check on their well-being and work to assist them if they require an alternate travel arrangement.
We strongly encourage all of our clients, whether they are traveling domestically or internationally, to purchase travel insurance, particularly right at the same time as travel has been booked. Travel insurance offers an additional layer of protection for travelers and can potentially help save a traveler hundreds or thousands of dollars if a medical or travel emergency occurs. Most insurance companies provide special policies that allow travelers to “cancel for any reason.”
We are advocates for our clients; and they know that by working with a true travel professional, we are there for them before, during, and after their trip should they need us – which gives them peace of mind.
o By working with a trusted travel professional, we can provide providing alternative travel arrangements should the need arise.
o Our business is founded on repeat customers. Therefore, we want to be sure everything goes off without a hitch.