Zika in the USA

[bke]

This bloody virus! It is so sad to read and see what it can and has done to innocent unborn babies and it makes me so nervous because my job requires me to travel a lot. I live in N-Europe and so far there is no zika risk at all here. I have obviously cancelled all trips to Zika hot zones but constantly worry about the next place I have to go to. I read about the virus now being present in Florida and I got paranoid.

Now I am supposed to travel for work to N-Carolina soon and have to confirm the trip before the weekend. I worry about the virus "popping up" and/or not knowing important information.

Any girls here from N-Carolina that know more about the situation there - Zika wise? My google seems to show that there is nothing going on at the moment but are pregnant ladies living there receiving special advice or alert or something?

Thanks from a paranoid hormonal momma

 

[justplay91]

Hi! I'm not from NC but I am from the US. I live in Illinois. So far, Florida is the only state in the US that has had confirmed cases of Zika transmitted by mosquitos there in Florida. However, it would not be surprising if the entire gulf coast has a similar problem by the end of the summer. In fact, most of the United States does have the species of mosquito that carries the virus. I've heard varying things from different professionals about whether or not it's expected to travel to those places as well. It may not be what you want to hear, but honestly it scares the crap out of me. I'm scared living in Illinois, and we're not even a southern state. If I were you, I'd ask your OB or midwife what they think. There are definitely precautions you can take to protect yourself when/if you have to travel to the States. Sorry if I freaked you out. I'm also paranoid. This whole Zika thing is so sad.

 

[Sapphire86]

I live on the Texas Gulf Coast so a high risk area. The media and my ob keep me very informed due to our location and increased risk. Based on current CDC reports, the risk of Zika outside of Miami is very low. I keep a can of mosquito spray with deet in the car but have only used it maybe 3 times since April. Unless there happens to be a local mosquito boom (like after a lot of rain) you're not likely to encounter many, especially if spending time inside in the a/c. If sitting outside or hiking in the woods, etc, I'd keep bug spray applied if mosquitos seem to be present. For reference, I sit in my wooded backyard in the am and pm and haven't seen a mosquito in months so no bug spray needed.

Sorry I'm not from NC but I hope my experience helps. I've been keeping close tabs on the situation all year. When local transmission popped up in Florida it was in the news almost immediately.

https://www.cdc.gov/zika/intheus/maps-zika-us.html

If you decide to travel, I hope you enjoy the trip. I love NC - it's beautiful!

 

[ProudArmyWife]

I'm from north central Florida and have not been informed of a "high" risk. The confirmed cases are down south farther in Miami. I would say just live you life and do your best to prevent mosquito bites. (Those nasty little buggers )

Good luck and I hope you get some info from a NC momma I know as moms we worry about everything!

 

[mommytobe11]

I live in south Florida about an hour north of the first detected case and there have since been about 5 cases in the area I live. I'm TERRIFIED. Thankfully mosquitos don't seem to like me, I hardly ever get bit. But I'm lathering up on bug spray, staying mostly indoors and hoping for the best. That's all I can really do

 

[Jessicahide]

This bloody virus! It is so sad to read and see what it can and has done to innocent unborn babies and it makes me so nervous because my job requires me to travel a lot. I live in N-Europe and so far there is no zika risk at all here. I have obviously cancelled all trips to Zika hot zones but constantly worry about the next place I have to go to. I read about the virus now being present in Florida and I got paranoid.

Now I am supposed to travel for work to N-Carolina soon and have to confirm the trip before the weekend. I worry about the virus "popping up" and/or not knowing important information.

Any girls here from N-Carolina that know more about the situation there - Zika wise? My google seems to show that there is nothing going on at the moment but are pregnant ladies living there receiving special advice or alert or something?

Thanks from a paranoid hormonal momma

Hello, its very concerning, however you are past the danger zone now, i believe its the first 12 weeks if you become infected the consequences are catastrophic xxx

 

[ElsMommy26]

I am a born and raised Floridian living in New York currently. My entire first pregnancy was spent in Miami, and my heart goes out to that city right now, because it has to be so crippling to have to worry about that. I could not have dealt with it!

That being said, in your specific scenario - the Miami climate is extremely different than North Carolina, and different from mostly any other place in the U.S. - even northern parts of Florida. There is a very low risk of those mosquitos migrating upwards, because they like the super sticky South American climate, and Miami mirrors a South American climate. Try not to worry. For all my Florida friends, my heart is with you!

 

[Rymel12]

I live in south Florida about an hour north of the first detected case and there have since been about 5 cases in the area I live. I'm TERRIFIED. Thankfully mosquitos don't seem to like me, I hardly ever get bit. But I'm lathering up on bug spray, staying mostly indoors and hoping for the best. That's all I can really do

We must live near eachother! I'm an hour north of Miami. I'm trying not to be totally terrified until it actually gets here. Like you, Mosquitos don't like me much either; I'm actually more scared of contracting it from my husband who works outside all over south Florida (though pretty much never in Miami) I'm going to get tested on my next appointment just to be sure. Blah...

 

[justplay91]

In Illinois we are being warned to stay indoors as much as possible and if we do have to go outside, to really lather on the bug spray. We're no where near Florida, but some Dr.'s are being overly cautious.

 

[mommytobe11]

I live in south Florida about an hour north of the first detected case and there have since been about 5 cases in the area I live. I'm TERRIFIED. Thankfully mosquitos don't seem to like me, I hardly ever get bit. But I'm lathering up on bug spray, staying mostly indoors and hoping for the best. That's all I can really do

We must live near eachother! I'm an hour north of Miami. I'm trying not to be totally terrified until it actually gets here. Like you, Mosquitos don't like me much either; I'm actually more scared of contracting it from my husband who works outside all over south Florida (though pretty much never in Miami) I'm going to get tested on my next appointment just to be sure. Blah...

Where abouts are you?? 😃 I live in palm beach county but work part time in Coral Springs (though I'm from the Coral Springs are). I'm going to talk to my doctor next week to see if I could get tested. I'm so paranoid about this whole thing especially when the cases started popping up around here.

 

[HopingFor2v1]

Hey, I'm from NC! We have no reported cases here, but like everywhere in the south, they tell you to stay in doors as much as possible, wear long sleeves (which is baffling to me how anyone could do this in the heat), and use deet mosquito spray. My midwife was no help at all when I asked her about it, she knew 0 and told me to refer to the CDC website I did my own research and asked other healthcare professionals.

Hope you have the opportunity to check out NC! It's beautiful. Where about would you be traveling?