Jacksonville in March - Zika fears?

August 17, 2016 10:44 PM

I'm looking into going on a trip to Jacksonville in March. I plan on having a child in the next few years so zika is a real concern for me. How worried should I be about this? Any articles on the likelihood of it spreading from Miami or anything to either ease my mind or confirm my concern would be appreciated. I have to book the trip now so I am trying to be as informed as possible.
posted by anonymous to Travel & Transportation (4 answers total)

Currently, the CDC is saying to "wait at least 8 weeks before trying to get pregnant," after a visit to Miami. At this point, we don't think the virus stays in the system any longer than that.
posted by iamfantastikate at 1:13 AM on August 18, 2016

In the next few years? I would consider waiting a year to stop using birth control to be very conservative.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:31 AM on August 18, 2016

I doubt that there are any mosquitoes biting in March in Jacksonville.
posted by amro at 5:26 AM on August 18, 2016

It's still only in that one neighborhood in Miami right now. It might spread to someplace far away from Florida before it spreads to Jacksonville. And as I understand it, Zika could spread to New York almost as easily as it could spread to Jacksonville - New York has mosquitoes and just as many people traveling to and from Zika-infected areas as Jacksonville.

If you want to stay in guaranteed non-Zika areas, that could well close off most of the US to you within the next few years.

But it's not like Zika causes permanent sterility or something - if you're a man and you did get Zika, you would want to postpone trying to get your partner pregnant for six months after you get better. If you don't get Zika and/or you are a woman, you would want to wait eight weeks. That's the risk. It's a serious public health issue but it's not hard to mitigate your personal risk.
posted by mskyle at 6:28 AM on August 18, 2016