According to a statement, World Health Organization and PAHO recognize that athletes and visitors are seeking more information on the risks of Zika and ways to prevent infection while attending the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer.
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The Australian Olympic Committee has announced all their athletes competing at Rio 2016 will have access to Zika-proof condoms. Two different health organizations, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), advise that “barrier contraception” be used after having visited areas where the Zika virus is prevalent, to prevent the further spread of the disease, especially to pregnant women.
Starpharma Holdings and condom maker Ansell are producing the Dual Protect condoms that use VivaGel, a lubricant that contains an active ingredient SPL7013, which is an antiviral agent that attaches to viruses so they can not attach to human cells.
Starpharma condoms won’t be Olympians’ only option for practicing safe sex.
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) said that free dispensing machines have been set up at every block of the village that will supply 350,000 male condoms and 100,000 female condoms to athletes.
The Ansell Starpharma condom that claims to have a gel that gives protection against the Zika virus.
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“There is no other state in Brazil that has more reported Zika cases than Rio”, Attaran told the Brent Loucks show Monday.
However, on the Starpharma’s website, the company says it has “not yet applied for or received regulatory certification regarding Zika virus activity of VivaGel”.
Political turmoil over Rousseff’s impeachment, the risk of crime and an outbreak of the Zika virus have threatened to keep visitors away from the games that kick off on August 5.
Microcephaly causes babies to be born with small heads and under-developed brains, while Zika can also cause miscarriages, premature birth and vision problems in babies. Lower temperatures mean fewer mosquitoes, which means fewer new Zika cases, at least until Spring begins in September.
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“Ultimately the best protection for Zika, or other diseases like dengue and chikungunya, is to not get infected”, Dr Macdonald said. The Olympic legacy will also include a key subway expansion and a tramway project from domestic airport Santos Dumont, all of which could make the city a more efficient place to do business, Moody’s said.
