WWYD? Traveling to San Antonio and worried about that nasty Zika

josiebegosie2002 · April 2016

Hello all. I think I am probably just over anxious and overly worried, but I have a trip planned to San Antonio, TX for 5 days in mid May. I have checked the CDC website and to date there have been no cases of Zika in Texas (or the continental US for that matter) that have been transmitted by native or local mosquitos. There have been travel cases however. I called my OB and spoke with the receptionist who said "whatever the CDC says is fine". I know this area is currently low risk, but would you travel there? Thanks for your opinions!!

Knottie1458416769 · April 2016

Do you have to travel? I cancelled two work trips to avoid congested airports, because I didn't want to catch a flu or anything while traveling with a weaker immune system. While the risk of Zika is slim, I just don't think the govt or anyone else knows enough yet (they were totally floored when they discovered Ebola can remain in eyes and other bodily fluids for months, and same thing for Zika in semen - isn't Puerto Rico thus trying to discourage couples from conceiving).

BmcD2016 · April 2016

Personally, I'd still go.

hellopartyof5 · April 2016

I'd still go. If anything, load up on bugspray

shevaCC · April 2016

Everything I've read said Zika has so far only been transmitted between humans by an exchange of fluid. So...I would use normal hygiene precautions and not have sex with randoms while there

mrs_hoyahoo · April 2016

I'd still go - I went to Miami earlier this month and had to make the same call. If you're staying somewhere with A/C and using bug spray regularly, it will minimize an already small risk. And honestly, these are precautions I'll be taking even when at home farther north. I found this article helpful in selecting a bug spray: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/01/30/464740275/whats-the-best-way-to-keep-mosquitoes-from-biting

Do what you're comfortable with though. If the amount it will drive you nuts is greater than the enjoyment you'll get from the trip, it might not be worth it.

MrsDho11 · April 2016

If there's no cases of local transmission, you should be fine. That being said, the CDC's guidelines can change retroactively and being on the flip side of that is a huge bummer (speaking from experience here). Ultimately you have to decide for yourself what you can live with. I'd still go and be super crazy diligent with DEET, but if you can't live with the possibility of finding out that there was a case or two of local transmission after the fact, then don't go.

monkey41 · April 2016

Yeah, as long as there are not cases of local transmission, I'd still plan on going as it is still early in the hot seasons. Just take your bug spray and pay attention to CDC reports.

muybueno · April 2016

Knottie1458416769 said:

Do you have to travel? I cancelled two work trips to avoid congested airports, because I didn't want to catch a flu or anything while traveling with a weaker immune system. While the risk of Zika is slim, I just don't think the govt or anyone else knows enough yet (they were totally floored when they discovered Ebola can remain in eyes and other bodily fluids for months, and same thing for Zika in semen - isn't Puerto Rico thus trying to discourage couples from conceiving).

That sounds extreme to me. I mean, to each her own, but I can't imagine not doing my job based on the risk that you might catch the flu in an airport.

Anyway, to your question @josiebegosie2002 I'm choosing to live life normally unless there's a reason to act otherwise. I live in Texas. While the CDC is predicting a summer outbreak in Texas, there are no transmitted cases yet. There's so much to worry about during pregnancy- why worry about something that hasn't happened yet?

MollySm · April 2016

I am going to South Carolina in late June, and it does make me nervous. But I'm still going. A friend there has already stocked up on bug spray for me. I'll wear long sleeves and try and be careful.

Greencows4812 · April 2016

I live on the 30th for a 2 weeks road trip that will take have me stopping in Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. I talked to me OB and he said I shou do still go. Use bug spray and take precautions if I'm worried but that as of now, it's not spreading by mosquitos so there isn't a reason to not travel.

josiebegosie2002 · April 2016

Thanks guys! I was leaning toward going and spraying myself with DEET but repellent frequently. Hearing you all would mostly do the same is reassuring.

muybueno · April 2016

I'm crazy about the EWG. This is their guide for pregnant women using bug repellent: https://www.ewg.org/research/ewgs-guide-bug-repellents/pregnant

Thewizardofrhythm · April 2016

I'd go.

jarethinafrock · April 2016

MollySm said:

I am going to South Carolina in late June, and it does make me nervous. But I'm still going. A friend there has already stocked up on bug spray for me. I'll wear long sleeves and try and be careful.

Woo SC! That's where I live.

thatlauragirl · April 2016

I live in Florida so a trip to Texas would be no big deal to me. Use repelling, avoid areas with standing water and keep an eye out for more updates but you should be fine.

TwandaFTG · April 2016

I too live in the south where mosquito born illnesses are prevalent. Keep covered and spray yourself down with bug spray. Allegedly Avon Skin So soft works well for keeping bugs at bay but I have personally never used it in my adult years.

asreinholm · April 2016

@josiebegosie2002This made me giggle. I actually live in San Antonio. I don't think you have anything to worry about. :-)

MollySm · April 2016

jarethinafrock said:

MollySm said:

I am going to South Carolina in late June, and it does make me nervous. But I'm still going. A friend there has already stocked up on bug spray for me. I'll wear long sleeves and try and be careful.

Woo SC! That's where I live.

I've never been, but my college friends are getting together there for a long weekend. So I'm flying out with my youngest daughter :-)

TinyAlligator · April 2016

I live in central Florida and I just saw a news segment about this. There are no mosquito to human transmitted cases yet. They even went out of their way to say that the CDC is not telling women in the south (ie Texas, Florida, Alabama) to not get pregnant. Idk, just bugspray up if you're going out in to the swampy areas. As of right now you're more than okay to go. IMO I'm not even certain it's been warm enough for long enough for those particular mosquitoes to be active yet. At least here in FL they aren't.

Ash9614 · April 2016

Do what makes you comfortable but I agree it's a little extreme to not travel to other areas of the U.S. I'd be more concerned if pregnant women were fleeing Texas to avoid Zika. Texas mamas are fine, so you should be too

tjljsc · April 2016

Well, I just got back from a Caribbean cruise and had extensive conversations with our doctor before going. In the end, we pretreated our clothing with premethrin (hubs did the spraying/treating since it's not safe in liquid form and shouldn't come into direct skin contact until dry) and I covered EVERYONE in our party with deet. Never saw a single mosquito and felt perfectly safe. That said, I also was super aware of my surroundings - avoiding any area with pools of stagnant water or areas where it looked like water could have pooled in the past.

jarethinafrock · April 2016

MollySm said:

jarethinafrock said:

MollySm said:

I am going to South Carolina in late June, and it does make me nervous. But I'm still going. A friend there has already stocked up on bug spray for me. I'll wear long sleeves and try and be careful.

Woo SC! That's where I live.

I've never been, but my college friends are getting together there for a long weekend. So I'm flying out with my youngest daughter :-)

Fun fun! Which part? I'm in charleston.

Sheybre · April 2016

I live a few hours from San Antonio

I put on bug spray if I'm outside for too long and try to stay inside around dusk. I'm not too worried!

MollySm · April 2016

jarethinafrock said:

MollySm said:

jarethinafrock said:

MollySm said:

I am going to South Carolina in late June, and it does make me nervous. But I'm still going. A friend there has already stocked up on bug spray for me. I'll wear long sleeves and try and be careful.

Woo SC! That's where I live.

I've never been, but my college friends are getting together there for a long weekend. So I'm flying out with my youngest daughter :-)

Fun fun! Which part? I'm in charleston.

Bluffton? I think it's in the south. One of my friends lives in England, just had a baby a few months ago, and is spending a month there with her family. It's a random place for the rest of us, but much closer than England, so we're taking advantage to have a mini reunion :-)

kg8006 · April 2016

muybueno said:

Knottie1458416769 said:

Do you have to travel? I cancelled two work trips to avoid congested airports, because I didn't want to catch a flu or anything while traveling with a weaker immune system. While the risk of Zika is slim, I just don't think the govt or anyone else knows enough yet (they were totally floored when they discovered Ebola can remain in eyes and other bodily fluids for months, and same thing for Zika in semen - isn't Puerto Rico thus trying to discourage couples from conceiving).

That sounds extreme to me. I mean, to each her own, but I can't imagine not doing my job based on the risk that you might catch the flu in an airport.

Anyway, to your question @josiebegosie2002 I'm choosing to live life normally unless there's a reason to act otherwise. I live in Texas. While the CDC is predicting a summer outbreak in Texas, there are no transmitted cases yet. There's so much to worry about during pregnancy- why worry about something that hasn't happened yet?

My entire family lives in Texas and I won't be able to visit until mid/late summer! Ill keep my eye on the CDC website and hope for the best! Good to have a heads up!

Knottie1458416769 · April 2016

In my case, the doc/ nurses wrote me a medical slip so it wasn't an issue to not travel for work. I had to disclose to my boss and HR at week 6, but oh well - would have come up anyways since I slip away so frequently for ultrasounds/office visits. We wanted to do a big trip abroad this year (non-Zika region) but neither I nor my family felt truly comfortable about it and so we are taking it easy this summer and will travel with baby in a year or two.

campbaby76 · April 2016

This! I live in Austin and I was thinking "is there a big mosquito problem in SA?" I think it's no riskier than anywhere else (except maybe Houston with all this flooding).
I think staying away from mosquito attractive places in the evening and you should be fine.

hFab14 · April 2016

I live in Houston and pregnant ladies are not packing up their possessions and running for the desert.

I'm overly cautious about baby - skip the unpasteurized cheese, try to avoid sips of booze, no sushi. Even though the risks associated with doing those things are really low. I get it - Zika is new and scary and I don't want it. But I also have an established life in a city / state with mosquitos. And you can't stop living because you're pregnant. We all do things with caution, this should just be one of them.

Zika isn't more or less scary because you live here, but you also have to be realistic about risk. Should you go on a trip to El Salvador? Probably not. I don't want to come off like the concern is not justified - I'm in no way trying to do that. Just keep in mind that being afraid to come to Texas (or our southern state friends) feels a bit silly to your Bump friends that live here.

My opinion, at least.

TinyAlligator · April 2016

hFab14 said:

Just keep in mind that being afraid to come to Texas (or our southern state friends) feels a bit silly to your Bump friends that live here.

My opinion, at least.

This. I had a friend cancel a trip to Tampa last month. I asked her seriously "so do you think I should stop TTC since you canceled a trip you've been planning for over a year?" "do you think all pregnant women down here should evacuate?" I mean seriously.

kittiesandcoffee · April 2016

I'm going to be driving from jacksonville fl to san diego, CA at 22 weeks and my docs all day it's fine. Then I'll be flying from San Diego to Atlanta at 29 weeks. Haven't confirmed that second one with the doc yet but as long as you stay in the US you'll be fine.

muybueno · April 2016

NavyBride93 said:

I'm going to be driving from jacksonville fl to san diego, CA at 22 weeks and my docs all day it's fine. Then I'll be flying from San Diego to Atlanta at 29 weeks. Haven't confirmed that second one with the doc yet but as long as you stay in the US you'll be fine.

It not really about staying the the U.S., it's about staying away from locations where it's been confirmed that Zika is spreading via mosquitos. I have lots of international travel coming up during the pregnancy and I'm not
worried at all- just staying on top of the news.

AlexLindzz · April 2016

NavyBride93 said:

I'm going to be driving from jacksonville fl to san diego, CA at 22 weeks and my docs all day it's fine. Then I'll be flying from San Diego to Atlanta at 29 weeks. Haven't confirmed that second one with the doc yet but as long as you stay in the US you'll be fine.

Wow! That's a long drive!

TinyAlligator · April 2016

muybueno said:

NavyBride93 said:

I'm going to be driving from jacksonville fl to san diego, CA at 22 weeks and my docs all day it's fine. Then I'll be flying from San Diego to Atlanta at 29 weeks. Haven't confirmed that second one with the doc yet but as long as you stay in the US you'll be fine.

It not really about staying the the U.S., it's about staying away from locations where it's been confirmed that Zika is spreading via mosquitos. I have lots of international travel coming up during the pregnancy and I'm not
worried at all- just staying on top of the news.

Nope. You gotta stay away from Canadia and Iceland too.

sweetlyuntied · April 2016

What type of trip is it? Is it for work where you'll be in AC and business casual all day? Or will you be hiking through mosquito-prone areas?

In either case, I'd still probably go. But if it's the former I really wouldn't be worried at all. If it's the second just be careful - protective clothing, bug repellent, etc. But not just for Zika - mosquitos have always carried disease and so do ticks. Unless you're going to a high-risk area I don't think you need to be any more cautious than usual.

I'm an NP and part of my time is spent in travel clinic. I mostly counsel families traveling to Central America and the Carribean (the really high-risk areas) and I have to say that the CDC is really on top of it. I think you can trust their travel recommendations.

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