Due to the increasing dangers of the Zika virus, federal health and safety officials have advised companies that employ pregnant women, women who are planning to become pregnant and men whose wives or girlfriends are planning pregnancy to consider letting them work indoors if they are in the proximity of areas with Zika transmission. The dread might be more intense now with the threat of the mosquito-borne Zika virus. “For San Franciscans considering travel to Zika affected areas, we urge pregnant women to postpone their plans if possible and advise every traveler to take mosquito precautions”. “While this virus is particularly unsafe for the babies of pregnant women, men need to be just as vigilant so that they don’t transmit the virus to their partners through sexual contact”.
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The virus usually causes symptoms like fever, joint pain, rash and red eyes. Babies with microcephaly will have smaller head sizes and their brains may not develop properly.
Gov. Dannel Malloy said he is encouraging “those concerned about symptoms to consult their doctor”, if they have traveled to a Zika-affected area.
At present, there is no vaccine for Zika virus.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture put out a list of things Marylanders can do to avoid mosquito bites, including wearing long clothing, properly applying insect repellent and staying away from mosquito-infested areas, especially early and late in the day and at night in well-lit areas.
But Connie Werner, clinic nurse supervisor for the City of St. Joseph Health Department, said there is little cause for alarm for people who haven’t traveled to the Caribbean area.
Employers should provide the materials and encourage workers to use them, as well take special attention to pregnant women, those who intend to get pregnant soon, and even their partners, due to the sexually transmission of the disease.
“We know what to do to beat Zika”.
Public health officials have said they expect Zika to become active in the United States with the onset of mosquito season. There is also evidence that the virus causes other birth defects, as well as rare autoimmune diseases in adults.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland have zeroed in on how the Zika virus attacks brain cells in developing fetuses.
Gulf Coast states are most at risk for local transmission of Zika, CDC officials have said.
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The guidelines published this week focus primarily on employers with an outdoor workforce, though contain universally applicable information on zika prevention and protection.
