Would you go to Miami with kids? (Re Zika)

[Stevie77]

Just to explain, we have family there and have been a number of times but am concerned about the recent Zika occorances in Miami and the unknown long-term effects of Zika, especially on children (mine will be 7 & 3 when we plan to travel). Information available to public seems very sketchy about that and just says there may be yet unknown effects

I would weigh up the risks tbh and be more concerned if I was TTC or if there was any chance of an unplanned pregnancy. theres a lot you can do to mitigate the risk - choosing the time when you go, deet, covering up etc. but travel is risky.

personally I would do it.

Never saw or heard anything about the Zika virus in Miami on my recent travels there.

I would still travel there quite happily but would use insect repellant particularly if you are walking on or near any grassy areas. It would be of more concern to me only if I was actively trying to conceive.

This link may prove to be useful to you:-
www.cdc.gov/zika/intheus/florida-update.html

Occurrences! Red-faced at my spelling/fat finger error above.

Thank you both for your input. I realise my concerns are not exactly logical or based on any evidence, the lack of is the worry I guess! So much of the info out there stated that the long term risks are not yet known. I'm not planning to ttc so nitcincerned about myself, more for the littles.

We're a bit limited to when we can go and we're planning on going for the May half term. Peak season for mozzies!

We went last August and didn't see a single mosquito!
I was on the verge of cancelling before we wants and took so much deet it was funny and head to toe clothes for everyone . With in 24 hours it was forgotten other than the deet.
It may be worse now but there were no mossies on Miami beach that I saw

I would.

Then again, I'm menopausal with a vasectomised DH and the DC are teens (none in a relationship, and even the older ones are still thinking of the opposite sex as 'yuk')

Yes! I assume there haven't been a large number of cases?
We went to Costa Rica last summer and being a little bit of a paranoid parent I spent a lot of time doing research. There's nothing to suggest that there are any long term effects from zika. There are some links to guillame barre (probable misspellling!) but of the percentage of zika cases, numbers of people who've gone on to develop guillame barre are really minuscule.
I didn't take any chances though - it wasn't much fun for my 8 year old but she had on repellant treated clothes (easy to buy), 30% deet repellant lotion on her skin and mozzie repellant natural bracelets on her ankles and wrists. I even bought natural repellant shampoo! There were lots of mosquitoes in CR and she didn't get a single bite in 2 weeks.

According to the info on the CDC website it's a small number of cases. I have also read the same as you have SJane45S and completely accept that I am
Not being rational and or logical about this!
I'd be interested in links to the bracelets.

Ahh well, some thinking to do!

Hey, as above, I was really, really paranoid!! We'd already booked the holiday when the virus broke & I was completely on the point of cancelling it so I get where you are coming from!
The link to the bracelets is below - I'm also sending you a link for the top up natural mozzie repellent I used for when my DD got out of the pool ( the deet we were using you were only supposed to use twice a day).

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B019YDDXDY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004N59OFU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It was a real pain for my daughter the whole repellant on top of sun cream thing but she didn't get one bite which in the jungle in rainy season was a miracle!

Let us know if you go (and if you want any more information on mozzie products based on a riduculous amount of over research, I'm your anally retentive girl!).

👍 Thanks!