In a press release, the AOC said the condoms offer “near-complete antiviral protection against Zika virus in laboratory studies”.
Advertisement
Jackie Fairley, Starpharma Chief Executive, added in a statement that with the risk of sexual transmission and high rate of dormancy, “the potent activity of VivaGel against Zika could prove very significant”, for Australian athletes. The Australian Olympic Committee said that blood testing of the athletes will not be necessary when they return to Australia, since there is a low risk of catching the virus as long as you follow precautions.
“The more we learn about Zika, the more anxious we get about it”, Dr. Margaret Chan said in a briefing Tuesday in Geneva, saying she herself would be going to the Rio Games.
“Our association with Starpharma will provide extra protection for everyone on the team, and is a common-sense approach to a very serious problem we are facing in Rio”.
The announcement came as Germany last week reported its first case of the Zika virus as a result of a woman allegedly becoming infected after a sexual encounter in Puerto Rico. The virus often causes mild reactions, including fever, pink eye and rash but has been linked to severe birth defects, including microcephaly characterized by an abnormally small brain and head.
Attaran said he’s disappointed, but not surprised, the WHO isn’t taking a firmer stance ahead of the Olympics; in February, the organization called the Zika outbreak in Brazil a “public health emergency of worldwide concern.” .
Leonardo Picciani, a congressman who comes from an influential family in Rio de Janeiro, denies any wrongdoing and spent the weekend inaugurating a new Olympic venue. They also claim to help prevent transmission of other viral STIs like HIV and herpes.
That’s obviously a stupid question, but to back up the case for the affirmative, over 150,000 condoms were supplied to athletes at the 2012 summer games in London, with the Olympic village described by many as “promiscuous”. Some athletes have expressed concerns about traveling to the country, and at least one public health expert has called for the Games to be moved.
Advertisement
Three Queensland scientists are part of an global collaboration aiming to develop a test for the Zika virus that provides results in as little as 15 minutes.
