Anyone worried about Zika?

[aggieteacher10]

We are sailing this July on Liberty of the Seas. It goes to 3 countries that are impacted by Zika. I would like to become pregnant in the fall or winter. I am nervous to go on our trip, and can't stop worrying about it. Anyone else? Would you go? Has anyone had a bad experience this spring? :confused:

[Clarea]

More of the daily Zika threads:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2359908

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2359536

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2348211

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2348211

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2343960

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2341183

[aggieteacher10]

So sorry to bug you, don't look here often enough I guess.

[setsail]

Men bitten can transmit Zika for up to 60 days

Edited May 25, 2016 by setsail

[traveler279]

For what it's worth, this is what I would tell my 27 year old daughter about cruising, Zika, and babies. I'd tell her to stop worrying. Be aware, educated but not worried.

 

Going into a Zika zone is a calculated rusk just like flying, cruising, and driving to the airport. There are steps you can take to mitigate that risk. Stay on the beach. Don't go inland to where there is standing water and mosquitoes. Wear a good strong repellent. There are lovely breezy things you can wear to minimize exposed skin.

 

Does this change the nature of your cruise experience? You bet. So does having kids. But you can cruise and have a good time and not worry because you've done your homework and are prepared.

 

To be on the safe side, wait two months or more after the cruise to start baby-making. You can practice in the meantime.

 

But prepare. Go. Have fun. Enjoy your life.

 

These are the countries that are reporting active Zika. Data from the CDC today.

 

 

Aruba

Barbados

Belize

Bolivia

Bonaire

Brazil

Colombia

Commonwealth of

Puerto Rico, US territory

Costa Rica

Cuba

Curacao

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

French Guiana

Grenada

Guadeloupe

Guatemala

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Jamaica

Martinique

Mexico

Nicaragua

Panama

Paraguay

Peru

Saint Barthélemy

Saint Lucia

Saint Martin

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Sint Maarten

Suriname

Trinidad and Tobago

U.S. Virgin Islands

Venezuela

 

 

 

 

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[lenquixote66]

I personally am not worried .I take precautions.On 2 recent Caribbean cruises I wore long pants instead of shorts . I wore hats in every port and used an herbal insect repellant.

[CCC3]

I personally am not worried .I take precautions.On 2 recent Caribbean cruises I wore long pants instead of shorts . I wore hats in every port and used an herbal insect repellant.

 

 

What kind of bug spray did you take? I'm heading to Mexico & Roatan in a few days.

[tjsttng]

. They said this is the best in consumer report. Someone who went to Haiti for a week said it worked great.

 

 

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[CCruiser1234]

We are sailing this July on Liberty of the Seas. It goes to 3 countries that are impacted by Zika. I would like to become pregnant in the fall or winter. I am nervous to go on our trip, and can't stop worrying about it. Anyone else? Would you go? Has anyone had a bad experience this spring? :confused:

 

 

Completely understandable that you have concerns. However, there are three things in your case you can do to greatly mitigate any impact.

 

Ashore

1) Use a bug repellent.

2) Give a wide berth to any bodies of shallow standing water such as a small pond with vegetation.

 

Aboard

1) Thorough use of onboard hand sanitizers.

 

[emoji4]

 

 

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[TripleU]

I just got back from a week in Cancun. My friends all used herbal or natural type bug repellents. I used Off. I'm normally the one who gets eaten alive, but I came home with only 1 mosquito bite, and they were covered in them. You're less likely to be bitten on a cruise because you're not typically out at dusk and dawn. Use a stronger bug repellent like Off, and you should be fine.

[Snit13]

Have you been reading the most recent CDC reports and listening to the national news? It is spreading to the US and here in FL the mosquitoes love me. I get bites in my own yard going from house to car. Am I worried, YES. No danger of pregnancy but other major issues have been reported that all need to be aware of. Even though it reportedly has been around since 1947 we really hadn't heard about it...sort of like W. Nile virus. We use Repel and Deep Woods off when in the woods or working in yard. We were on Caribbean cruise in Feb and all was fine but we were only off ship during the sunny daytime, and only into town on Tortola and Antiga. We go on with life and hope for the best. The yellow flies and red ants also love to feast on me.

[corozco86]

I'm going to Bermuda in June and just found out I'm pregnant. I was reading the CDC information not seeing anything on any cases of it in Bermuda. Still makes me worry .

 

 

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[Goodtime Cruizin]

Did anyone else receive contact from an AP reporter in San Juan regarding the Cruiseline Industry and the Zika Virus? Evidently she's doing a story and has read many posts regarding Zika. So through CC, she reached out to me regarding a post. While I'm not sure if I'll be quoted, she is doing a story that she believes will be picked up worldwide. Interesting. I have a feeling that reports & hearing about Zika will pick up as the summertime moves onto the calendar. But so far, Zika hasn't kept the cruisers away, although she did say that land vacations to the Caribbean appears to have dropped a bit, at least to San Juan.

[PatyCake]

I live in Cozumel and so far, so good. I have not heard of anyone locally contracting this and news travels fast here.

[Snit13]

ABC Good Morning America will be doing a Zika report shortly. I think their intro said on products that work/don't work. Will watch as FL has had a number of cases reported and not certain if sexually transmitted or not.

 

Just watched the report. Congress hearing info on Genetically Modified Mosquitoes, company considering releasing them in FL Keys. Also talked about clothing for sale which may aid in avoiding bites. Mentioned LL Bean and other company. You may be able to Google the report or it may be on GMA site.

Edited May 26, 2016 by Snit13
add info

[Big_G]

So sorry to bug you, don't look here often enough I guess.

 

I'm pretty sure you weren't bugging Bob. He's one of the most helpful contributors on this board and was just providing you with additional discussion.

[U2_Rocks!]

Aboard

1) Thorough use of onboard hand sanitizers.

 

[emoji4]

 

 

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??? Zika can only be spread by being bitten by a female Aedes mosquito that happens to be carrying the virus, and possibly (research is ongoing) sexually.

[U2_Rocks!]

I just got back from a week in Cancun. My friends all used herbal or natural type bug repellents. I used Off. I'm normally the one who gets eaten alive, but I came home with only 1 mosquito bite, and they were covered in them. You're less likely to be bitten on a cruise because you're not typically out at dusk and dawn. Use a stronger bug repellent like Off, and you should be fine.

 

The Aedes mosquito that carries Zika (and Dengue and ChikV) bites any time of the day.

[Krazy Kruizers]

This spring we did a 21 day repositioning cruise from Ft Lauderdale to San Diego.

Many of our ports were in the infected areas. Now I am pass child bearing age BUT -- all types of mosquitoes love me.

So I did take DEET with me and used it in most ports.

[slidergirl]

I was on a 10-night land vacation in Puerto Rico last month - 5 nights on the beach in Rio Grande (nice and jungle-y) up by El Yunque, 4 nights on Vieques on the beach, and one night downtown Old San Juan. I'm usually not someone the biting bugs want to take a bite of. I took Ben's with 95% DEET with me. Used it every morning as part of my routine, and in the evening when I was going to be walking through the lush vegetation on the resort. I did not get bit. NOW, my time in OSJ - I wandered through Old Town my last night, sat by the harbor front, sat at the park near the pier and listed to a Senior Citizen's salsa band. That day, I didn't "Ben" up because, heck, I was in the City… Next day, on the flights home, I started to itch on my legs - I had 4 bites :eek:

 

My advice - even though you are just at the port city, put on that repellant.

[deanaw72]

Deep Woods OFF is my BFF! I attract every mosquito in a 10 mile radius and have gotten bites just walking to my mailbox. We're going to Cozumel and Progresso in June and I will have my OFF in tow. I'm aware of the issue and taking precautions, but not overly worried.

[AussieOmni]

I think if you're pregnant or may be pregnant there'd be something to be slightly concerned about. But going near the FL Ports or Galveston is also risky for Zika, and I don't see people too worried about it.

 

Remember Zika isn't really that bad except for pregnant women (due to Microcephaly), for others, even if you did get it, while it wouldn't be that pleasant you'd be fine in not too long. Just use repellant, but I wouldn't not cruise because of this (the reason I don't cruise is being broke!)

[zqvol]

We are sailing this July on Liberty of the Seas. It goes to 3 countries that are impacted by Zika. I would like to become pregnant in the fall or winter. I am nervous to go on our trip, and can't stop worrying about it. Anyone else? Would you go? Has anyone had a bad experience this spring? :confused:

 

 

You need to speak with your physician not an online message board.

[poobears]

If it were me and I was planning on getting pregnant soon and Zika was still contained to the islands I wouldn't travel there. It would be an easy choice but fact is it's here and it's spreading, there's no getting away from it. With that knowledge I would travel but I would use precautions. Maybe get some of the bug bands, they work well, the stretchy coil bands that have bug repellant on them and wear them and of course use a good deet repellant. Just be cautious overusing deet, use it on your clothing when possible instead of the skin. It can build up in your system and cause a very bad reaction, have a relative in that almost died from a reaction to it after using it daily. So just be careful.

[jmckay331]

Anyone wanting to get pregnant soon or is pregnant should honestly avoid those areas affected. IMO. And while someone posted not to worry I think that when you talk about something that causes micro-encephalitis in babies you can't be too careful. If it was just a risk to me personally then I wouldn't worry just use a lot of bug spray particularly the ones that last versus the "natural" stuff that lasts only an hour. But when you start talking about risking a baby them it's another story entirely. So regardless of what anyone's non medical opinion might be its really gonna be between you, your husband/partner and your doctors recommendations. Everyone is going to have differing opinions and advice but this is where the message boards really aren't your best option. So whatever you decide about trip good luck on baby timeline.

 

 

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