With mosquito-borne Zika now thought to be circulating in a Miami neighborhood, it’s time to stay on top of federal advice on how to protect yourself from the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday issued an unprecedented warning to pregnant women and their partners to avoid travel to the area of Miami thought to be ground zero for locally transmitted Zika in the continental United States.
Additional advice accompanied the warning, particularly for people who traveled to the affected area recently, or who live or work there.
Here’s what you need to know:
•The impacted area is 1 square mile just north of downtown Miami that includes parts of Wynwood, Midtown and the Design District.
•Pregnant women should stay away from this area because mosquitoes carrying Zika may be circulating there.
•If you traveled to the affected area on or after June 15 and you’re pregnant, go see your doctor and get tested for Zika, even if you don’t have symptoms. Only 1 in 5 people with Zika experience symptoms, so you could have the virus and not realize it.
•Don’t try to get pregnant if you or your partner recently traveled to the impacted area. Wait at least 8 weeks or, if your male partner has Zika symptoms, wait at least 6 months (that’s how long scientists think the virus can remain in semen). If you live or work in the area, consult with your doctor about pregnancy plans.
•Get tested for Zika if you may have been exposed to the virus and have symptoms, whether you’re pregnant or not.
•If you live or work in the affected area and are pregnant or your partner is pregnant: Avoid mosquito bites (wear mosquito repellent and long-sleeved shirts and pants); prevent sexual transmission of Zika; and get tested for Zika if you’re in the first or second trimester of pregnancy.
Even if you are nowhere near Miami and have never been there, the CDC is encouraging everyone living in areas with Aedes mosquitoes, especially pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant, to protect themselves from mosquito bites.
Has the Zika outbreak in Miami affected your travel plans?
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