Zika Impact

[Sassagoula-Rvr]

So I wonder how Disney will respond if this migrates further north. I would have to think this will impact some trips, I know if I was planning on doing a Disney wedding, honeymoon, or if I was in a position to be thinking about having children in the next few years...I would probably consider holding off on the trip if it gets much further north. There are just too many question marks right now regarding the whole thing.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/29/healt...ls-confirm-local-zika-transmission/index.html

 

[JIMINYCR]

What could they possibly do? They do what they can now to cut down on the insect population, but its not 100% effective. They might get more aggressive with their anti-pest programs and hope it is able to do the job. Florida will try assuring visitors to the state that they can be safe and keep tourism alive. Guests will decide if they want to risk going on a trip, then bring more bug spray, cover up more, and pray.

 

[bethymouse]

I have never been bitten by a mosquito while in Disney World! I get more mosquito bites on my own back deck! I think it is a legitimate fear, but I wouldn't cancel a vacation because of it... perhaps unless you were pregnant.

 

[thomas998]

So I wonder how Disney will respond if this migrates further north. I would have to think this will impact some trips, I know if I was planning on doing a Disney wedding, honeymoon, or if I was in a position to be thinking about having children in the next few years...I would probably consider holding off on the trip if it gets much further north. There are just too many question marks right now regarding the whole thing.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/29/healt...ls-confirm-local-zika-transmission/index.html

All I can say is we are likely to skip WDW this fall and hit DL instead... I know it's unlikely anyone in the family would be bitten but considering they don't even seem to have any real clue as to how long the virus can stay in a person... Well... Why take a chance.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I have never been bitten by a mosquito while in Disney World! I get more mosquito bites on my own back deck! I think it is a legitimate fear, but I wouldn't cancel a vacation because of it... perhaps unless you were pregnant.

I have but it was back at the Sunset point at the Poly. Before those awful, gator attracting bungalows were built.

 

[Matt_Black]

You can also get West Nile, encephalitis and many other things from misquotes but people don't run around talking them up.

I once contracted a bad stomach bug when someone said, "The only thing we have to fear is scary stuff we overthink."

 

[marni1971]

Funny you mention that.

I just read the UK governments new travel advice regarding this. They recommend pregnant women now postpone trips to Florida until told otherwise.

 

[King Capybara 77]

Funny you mention that.

I just read the UK governments new travel advice regarding this. They recommend pregnant women now consider postponing trips to Florida until told otherwise.

Fixed it for ya

 

[21stamps]

Funny you mention that.

I just read the UK governments new travel advice regarding this. They recommend pregnant women now postpone trips to Florida until told otherwise.

If I was pregnant/trying to become pregnant then I would definitely rethink certain places. But for all the non pregnant people I don't think it's a big deal. Just bring plenty of mosquito repellent

To me it's similar to other international warnings, i.e the US Travel Warning/Travel Alerts. I've gone to plenty of countries in the "Orange (warning)" zone, and really don't think twice about any that fall under "travel alert". It depends on where you are in said country and what you are doing. All warnings are good so we can be aware, but I don't think they should automatically be translated into "Do Not Go!"

 

[marni1971]

If I was pregnant/trying to become pregnant then I would definitely rethink certain places. But for all the non pregnant people I don't think it's a big deal. Just bring plenty of mosquito repellent

To me it's similar to other international warnings, i.e the US Travel Warning/Travel Alerts. I've gone to plenty of countries in the "Orange (warning)" zone, and really don't think twice about any that fall under "travel alert". It depends on where you are in said country and what you are doing. All warnings are good so we can be aware, but I don't think they should automatically be translated into "Do Not Go!"

I'm not pregnant either

 

[Nemo14]

I'm not pregnant either

*phew*

 

[SorcererMC]

From what I know it's not really a concern unless you are pregnant.

It is also a concern for couples/families intending to become pregnant...which I imagine is a fairly large cohort for Disney (families w/ young children). Zika is not only transmitted via mosquito vectors, it can be sexually transmitted between partners, and one strange case in UT of a caregiver who contracted it from an older male relative, transmitted by means yet to be determined.

Edit: re: spread through the South, likely limited transmission, but an estimated 2 mln women who would become pregnant are at risk. It can have devastating outcomes for those affected.

 

[21stamps]

It is also a concern for couples/families intending to become pregnant...which I imagine is a fairly large cohort for Disney (families w/ young children). Zika is not only transmitted via mosquito vectors, it can be sexually transmitted between partners, and one strange case in UT of a caregiver who contracted it from an older male relative, transmitted by means yet to be determined.

I would hope that anyone traveling would read the warnings and what to do. It's pretty graphic description, but is good for people follow the direction of the warnings. 2 counties in SoFla have stopped all blood donations for now as well.

 

[SorcererMC]

What could they possibly do? They do what they can now to cut down on the insect population, but its not 100% effective. They might get more aggressive with their anti-pest programs and hope it is able to do the job. Florida will try assuring visitors to the state that they can be safe and keep tourism alive. Guests will decide if they want to risk going on a trip, then bring more bug spray, cover up more, and pray.

Re: aerial spraying, it has limited effectiveness against the particular mosquito vector for Zika, Aedes aegypti (also vector Aedes albopictus which has a greater range than Aedes aegypti). As there is no treatment or vaccine, mosquito control is the best preventive measure (and the politics of funding that is a real....mess).

The good news re: local transmission is that an infected mosquito only travels within a few hundred yards during its lifetime. The bad news is that Orlando and Miami are future hotspots for it, so FL tourism is likely to be affected regardless of what officials say. Orlando is also having an influx of Puerto Ricans fleeing the economic crisis there, and Zika is rampant in Puerto Rico....Zika is asymptomatic for 4 out of 5 individuals. It's definitely an evolving situation, and I'm really hoping that it doesn't reach 'Ebola hysteria' levels.

 

[SorcererMC]

I would hope that anyone traveling would read the warnings and what to do. It's pretty graphic description, but is good for people follow the direction of the warnings. 2 counties in SoFla have stopped all blood donations for now as well.

Right. Last I saw, Zika is being found in 1.1% of blood donations and this is considered a problem due to the effects of the disease.

 

[21stamps]

Re: aerial spraying, it has limited effectiveness against the particular mosquito vector for Zika, Aedes aegypti (also vector Aedes albopictus which has a greater range than Aedes aegypti). As there is no treatment or vaccine, mosquito control is the best preventive measure (and the politics of funding that is a real....mess).

The good news re: local transmission is that an infected mosquito only travels within a few hundred yards during its lifetime. The bad news is that Orlando and Miami are future hotspots for it, so FL tourism is likely to be affected regardless of what officials say. Orlando is also having an influx of Puerto Ricans fleeing the economic crisis there, and Zika is rampant in Puerto Rico....Zika is asymptomatic for 4 out of 5 individuals. It's definitely an evolving situation, and I'm really hoping that it doesn't reach 'Ebola hysteria' levels.

I hope it doesn't reach Ebola level hysteria as well. When you actually look at the Zika cases most of them are not contacted from an actual bite. So even if a Zika carrying Puerto Rican is in Orlando, that doesn't mean that you (general) are in any sort of risk. I would think most tourists are not in danger of contracting it in the form of an std or blood transfusion.

 

[Nemo14]

I hope it doesn't reach Ebola level hysteria as well. When you actually look at the Zika cases most of them are not contacted from an actual bite. So even if a Zika carrying Puerto Rican is in Orlando, that doesn't mean that you (general) are in any sort of risk. I would think most tourists are not in danger of contracting it in the form of an std or blood transfusion.

4 cases so far in the Miami area from mosquito bites. As a mom of 2 married young adults who will probably start families in the next few years, I do see the cause for concern. Panic, no, but concern, certainly.

 

[21stamps]

4 cases so far in the Miami area from mosquito bites. As a mom of 2 married young adults who will probably start families in the next few years, I do see the cause for concern. Panic, no, but concern, certainly.

...."If I was pregnant/trying to become pregnant then I would definitely rethink certain places. But for all the non pregnant people I don't think it's a big deal. Just bring plenty of mosquito repellent"...

Yep, that's why I posted the above quote earlier But Miami and Orlando are not geographically close enough for a mosquito to migrate from one to the other. The rest of people in Miami Dade and Broward contracted it through different means- not direct bites. If someone is actively in the process of trying to get pregnant then definitely avoid certain areas, I probably would!

 

[King Capybara 77]

I hope it doesn't reach Ebola level hysteria as well. When you actually look at the Zika cases most of them are not contacted from an actual bite. So even if a Zika carrying Puerto Rican is in Orlando, that doesn't mean that you (general) are in any sort of risk. I would think most tourists are not in danger of contracting it in the form of an std or blood transfusion.

So how you protect yourself against being bitten by a Puerto Rican ?

 

[Nemo14]

So how you protect yourself against being bitten by a Puerto Rican ?

There's an app for that.