TravelTalkOnline
Zika on island?
Posted By: SandS
Zika on island? - 01/22/2016 12:20 PM
Our pregnant daughter is considering cancelling her February trip. She talked to an island resident and they told her no one is really talking about it. The only info we have is the Daily Herald article that states one confirmed case. Yes, the stakes are high but is she over reacting? Does anyone on island or has recently been on island have any I imput ?
Posted By: SXMWendell
Re: Zika on island? - 01/22/2016 12:28 PM
The notices are especially for pregnant women. I would err on the side of caution if I were her. It takes about 4 to 7 days to get over it.
SXM??? Wendell
Posted By: ruralcarrier
Re: Zika on island? - 01/22/2016 12:31 PM
I would think this would be better addressed with your daughter's doctors and take their opinion and thoughts into consideration.
The pregnant women who live on the island have to deal with it but they don't have the options your daughter and others have.
Posted By: pat
Re: Zika on island? - 01/22/2016 12:39 PM
I agree ABSOLUTELY. She needs to discuss this with her doctor who hopefully is well informed on the topic and knows there has been a diagnosed case there. The wrong decision could be devastating for all concerned and it only takes one tiny moskie bite but the effects of that same bite could be horrendous.
Posted By: boucharda
Re: Zika on island? - 01/22/2016 12:47 PM
Agreed...with this disease early pregnancy is probably a good time to err on the side of caution.
Posted By: Zanshin
Re: Zika on island? - 01/22/2016 07:27 PM
Posted By: SandS
Re: Zika on island? - 01/22/2016 07:39 PM
Thank you everyone. The decision was easy once the CDC added St Maarten to the Alert Level 2. I guess we will have an additional guest next year.
Posted By: RonDon
Re: Zika on island? - 01/23/2016 11:41 AM
I was surprised to read that the CDC recommends a HepA vaccine to travel to SXM
Posted By: GaKaye
Re: Zika on island? - 01/23/2016 12:27 PM
SandS said:
Thank you everyone. The decision was easy once the CDC added St Maarten to the Alert Level 2. I guess we will have an additional guest next year.
I don't really understand your post, but you do know that Zika is only a danger to unborn children? Its effects are very minor in adults.
Posted By: LovesSXM
Re: Zika on island? - 01/23/2016 12:36 PM
RonDon said:
I was surprised to read that the CDC recommends a HepA vaccine to travel to SXM
A local friend contracted Hepatitis A while on St Martin some years ago. It occurs from ingesting contaminated food or water. He was quite sick, missed weeks of work. After that, we got Hep A vaccine!
Posted By: iscrogr
Re: Zika on island? - 01/23/2016 12:58 PM
In the original post: "Our pregnant daughter is considering cancelling her February trip"
so this would be a major consideration!
Posted By: GaKaye
Re: Zika on island? - 01/23/2016 02:36 PM
iscrogr said:
In the original post: "Our pregnant daughter is considering cancelling her February trip"
so this would be a major consideration!
Oops! I didn't put the last post together with the original one! Yes, a major consideration.
Posted By: islandgem
Re: Zika on island? - 01/23/2016 05:53 PM
S and S was referring to the fact that because their daughter is pregnant, she has decided not to go with them this year, but next year when they go, she will be going with the new baby as an additional guest.She made this decision after more warnings were posted as it is a danger to pregnant women.
Posted By: PelicanPirate
Re: Zika on island? - 01/23/2016 07:10 PM
Probably a wise choice unless staying clothed head to toe in air conditioning. We've been bit each trip in both the daytime and night time on the beach and in restaurants on both sides of the island especially if winds are calm. Given the effects on a baby. I hope this subsides back to "normal" dengue fever and chickingunga.
Posted By: jenniboston
Re: Zika on island? - 01/23/2016 07:15 PM
GaKaye said:SandS said:
Thank you everyone. The decision was easy once the CDC added St Maarten to the Alert Level 2. I guess we will have an additional guest next year.
I don't really understand your post, but you do know that Zika is only a danger to unborn children? Its effects are very minor in adults.
Pretty sure that's the point; the pregnant daughter won't be coming this year, but the grandchild will be next year.
Congrats and good luck to the growing fmaily! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: GaKaye
Re: Zika on island? - 01/23/2016 09:10 PM
Yes, I get it now. I didn't read the initial post carefully enough.
Posted By: Zanshin
Re: Zika on island? - 01/24/2016 02:21 PM
While on the subject of Zika (and Chikungunya) virus and their vectors
Aedes aegypti and
Aedes albopictus - does anyone know where on island I could get either dilute or concentrated
permethrin? I'd like to soak some of my daytime clothing and sheets in it to get a measure of protection. While treated clothing is available and I know that self-treated clothing only lasts about 5-8 washes I'd prefer to keep my own threads
p.s. For those who aren't aware of it, the U.S. military treats their BDUs with this same solution; coupled with strong DEET on skin it offers almost 100% protection from mozzies, ticks and other nasties.
Posted By: RonDon
Re: Zika on island? - 01/24/2016 02:44 PM
I would be interested as well because I can treat my clothing before I leave (available at Bass stores) but if we're on island longer than 2 weeks, would want to add again since it's effectiveness dissipates with each washing.
Posted By: Teresasxm
Re: Zika on island? - 01/24/2016 04:29 PM
Story ran on Canadian News last night. A doctor was interviewed and she said she is advising all of her pregnant patients not to go to ANY island in the Caribbean this year due to Zika. The doctor said Mothers-to-be who are infected with Zika stand the chance of delivering babies with small heads and undersized brains leading to possible developmental issues. Very scary!
Posted By: Zanshin
Re: Zika on island? - 01/24/2016 05:00 PM
RonDon - I don't know if there's a source on-island, but if not I'll be using 4-Star Cargo to ship some from mainland USA; I'm in the UK at the moment and can only get 350ml of 0.5% solution for about £8.50 - that's very expensive compared to the USA market which has veterinary 10% solution in larger quantities and this can be diluted and applied to clothing and other items. In your case you could just take it with you in your baggage.
p.s. 7 washings is a lot to do in 2 weeks
If you hand-wash the treatment will last even longer, since it is mechanical and not chemical action that removes the protection.
Posted By: Bahston
Re: Zika on island? - 01/24/2016 06:26 PM
Teresasxm said:
Story ran on Canadian News last night. A doctor was interviewed and she said she is advising all of her pregnant patients not to go to ANY island in the Caribbean this year due to Zika.
She sounds like a smart and common sense doctor to me.
Zika will inevitably spread to the same places where Chikungunya has spread to, and Dengue before that. Before long, if not already the case, there won't be an island in the Caribbean where Zika isn't present.
Posted By: biglar
Re: Zika on island? - 01/25/2016 03:58 PM
We recently had an article in our local paper about a child being born in a nearby county with an extremely small head. It was because the mother had been to an infected country and had been bitten by the Asian tiger mosquito. That is the mosquito that carries the Zika virus. It does cause a fairly mild fever, rash and headaches in adults, pregnant or not.
Posted By: Nutmeg
Re: Zika on island? - 01/26/2016 12:21 PM
biglar: The vector for Zika is the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It also carries dengue, yellow fever, and chikungunya.
Okay, I see that the Aedes albopictus CAN carry the virus. However, in the Caribbean, our little A. aegypti seems to be the main suspect.
Posted By: SXMWendell
Re: Zika on island? - 01/26/2016 03:05 PM
CNN article SXM??? Wendell
Posted By: boucharda
Re: Zika on island? - 01/28/2016 06:49 PM
Just saw this in the Boston Globe (from the WHO)
Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization, said at a special meeting Thursday in Geneva that the Zika virus — which has been linked to birth defects and neurological problems — was “spreading explosively.”
Chan said although there was no definitive proof that the Zika virus was responsible for a spike in the number of babies being born with abnormally small heads in Brazil, “the level of alarm is extremely high.” She also noted a possible relationship between Zika infection and Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can cause temporary paralysis.
“The possible links, only recently suspected, have rapidly changed the risk profile of Zika from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions,” Chan said.
Posted By: Bahston
Re: Zika on island? - 01/28/2016 09:28 PM
France's Health Minister is recommending that pregnant women avoid travel to France's overseas territories due to the Zika outbreak. French Guyana, Martinique, and Guadeloupe are mentioned by name, but St Martin would fall under "other overseas territories".
An article in English:
http://www.thelocal.fr/20160128/zika-virus-frances-pregnant-women-urged-to-avoid-the-caribbeanAnd one in French:
http://www.francetvinfo.fr/sante/maladie...er_1288861.html
Posted By: ruralcarrier
Re: Zika on island? SXM Reacts - 01/28/2016 09:40 PM
Posted By: Marcheall
Re: Zika on island? - 01/29/2016 04:10 PM
"Its effects are very minor in adults."
Perhaps the affects are being understated. Here is a first-hand account in todays NY Post...
http://nypost.com/2016/01/28/first-person-account-of-being-stricken-with-the-zika-virus/
Posted By: Dansc
Re: Zika on island? - 01/29/2016 06:26 PM
it will be interesting to see if units starting opening up at timeshares. I have an ongoing search at divi that hasnt gotten a hit in over a month. we shall see what the weekend brings! scary stuff
Posted By: BeachKitten
Re: Zika on island? - 01/29/2016 07:38 PM
Dansc said:
it will be interesting to see if units starting opening up at timeshares. I have an ongoing search at divi that hasnt gotten a hit in over a month. we shall see what the weekend brings! scary stuff
Problem is, even as travelers we are going, getting bit, and bringing the virus back. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Sad.gif" alt="" /> That is how it will spread in the US. Then a mosquito here will bite...and so on, and so forth.
Went to a blood drive today and they would not accept me as I had traveled to an area where there have been cases. St Maarten.
Posted By: Dansc
Re: Zika on island? - 01/30/2016 12:16 PM
I heard about the blood drive thing. Wise to be cautious. Last year I didn't get bit once, hope I can repeat that this year.
Posted By: Fivesumwr
Re: Zika on island? - 01/30/2016 07:34 PM
Concerning the Hep A vaccine: once you've contracted Hep A you become immune. You may have contracted and not even known as the symptoms mimic the flu.
The cost to test if you have immunity is more than the vaccine. We opted to get the vaccine as there was no additional risk for double immunity.
You can contact Hep A at home or abroad.
Posted By: boucharda
Re: Zika on island? - 01/30/2016 08:39 PM
...and it is one of the routine vaccinations for children