I wouldn't change my plans. According to one site it had spread to Easter Island so you may have already been exposed.

According to the CDC site, women should wait 8 weeks, triple the amount of time the virus is known to be in the blood, after exposure or symptoms to get pregnant and men should wait 6 months before trying.

More Q&A here

If it was just DH and I going, no I wouldnt change my plans. If my young daughters or sons were going I would have to rethink it.

I wouldn't change my plans, but I'd be cautious and take and use lots of mosquito repellant. I'd also check in with my family doc who is always on top of these things and could remind me of any symptoms to look out for just in case.

To answer your question, no I would not change my travel plans. The more thought I put into things the more I believe that what happens is going to happen. Its luck of the draw if I, and my family, will be in an area when disaster hits. Be it earthquake, terrorist activity or dang mosquitos.

A case of Non travel related Zika was found close to where I live (Tampa) yesterday. I would be in a complete panic if I was pregnant. I currently do not have a loved one who is expecting, I am worried for those who are.

While I was in and out of numerous stores today (Lowes, Home Depot, CVS and a grocery store) I noticed that each place had big displays of Outdoors OFF near the doors and at checkout.

I'd still go. I'd also use insect repellent, and not be shy about using the good stuff (DEET) like I do in US areas with Lyme or RMSF.

There are plenty of worse arboviruses in the Zika area that I'd be DEETing up even without Zika.

I would change my plans if I were of or before reproductive age. I'm still trying to get pregnant, although it is looking unlikely, and I will be avoiding Florida this year. If I were a teen I think I would also be avoiding Florida until more is known. I think I'm overly cautious because I have reproductive problems as it is. I travel to Florida on average a couple of times a year so this is a non-hypothetical decision for me. I told my husband to start looking elsewhere for Christmas vacation!

It is not just women either. Zika affects men's reprodictive cells for months longer than women's. Anything NEW should be treated very cautiously. We are thinking Alaskan Cruise this year so I guess it is not a variable we need to consider.

My daughter just started school in South Florida. I am concerned. My only consolation is that she is in a touristy area and I assume they will spray like crazy rather than lose the tourist business. Which is worse? Mystery virus or pesticide exposure? She is really excited by the program she is in and it is not offered anywhere else. So, at this point we are just holding our breath.

A few years ago it was EEE (Eastern equine encephalitis), then Dengue and now Zika ... and don't forget the other recent crisis not associated with mosquitos, Ebola. Then there was the Avian flu also. Just too easy for people and their diseases to travel and spread things much quicker than in the past. Scary stuff everywhere!

I visited Barbados and the Chikungunya virus, spread by the same type of mosquitoes that carry Zika, was widespread. I made it home without getting infected, but it could have gone badly.

CindyMac's post was the first time I'd heard of Zika damaging the brains of adults. That puts a different spin on it. Up to that point, I figured I was past childbearing age and wouldn't let it stop me from traveling. In light of her info, yeah, I might consider a more northerly vacation.

I would have no problem changing my vacation destination. So much is unknown, why chance it, esp. with your daughters?

We cancelled a large company meeting earlier this year that was to be held in Puerto Rico. At the time I thought it was ridiculous, but the more I read about Zika, the more I think it was a good decision.

Then there is the problem of becoming a carrier. If your area has the type of mosquitoes...

"The Aedes mosquitoes that carry Zika usually travel no further than about 500 to 600 yards in their lifetimes. People, of course, travel much further. Mosquito-borne viruses spread when infected people move around, get bitten and infect mosquitoes in new areas."

We made our annual plans for Costa Rica for January and plan to go. But, I will keep a watch and if I have to cancel, then so be it.

Spring is still a long ways off, and the spread of Zika could take a lot of different directions. Personally, I'm a worrier, so I would choose a different destination if my travel companions included younger women. However, as I said, things could change. Get good trip insurance and see what happens. Worst case, your plans change at the last minute.

We were in the Cook Islands last year during a Chikungunya outbreak. Didn't think twice. Just used bug spray.

My DD and her husband had spent 3 weeks in Ft. Lauderdale in early April. She got pregnant in June and they were on this side of panic, but her doctors told her that the likelihood of getting the Zika virus was low. Needless to say we're cautiously optomistic because it wasn't as prevalent there as it is now.

There have been no cases where we live, but even so, she's being very careful to stay away from mosquito likely areas and is using DEET when she is out during dusk hours. Fortunately we don't have a big mosquito problem here.

But to answer your question, I think it would affect my decision. If it's not important to travel there (business for example) then I wouldn't for the time being. There are plenty of other places to visit in the meantime.

I think I might. I have to travel to these regions all the time on business, but I am mostly in offices.

I don't think I would take my two teenage sons, I think I just don't know enough yet about long term consequences. There are plenty of places in the world to go, I would go somewhere else.

Also, one of my sons has an autoimmune disease which while it has been in remission for many years, has been triggered by bug bites and viruses in the past. It's not be worth the risk to me.

Sorry I wouldn't go. Not enough known about this particular virus at this time.

As an aside a good friend spent a couple weeks in Cuba about a year ago- wasn't particularly impressed ...

Hmm, this is helpful. You guys surprise me. Zika has been around since 1947. Personally, I would bet big money it is in CT by next summer. IDK, maybe I am wrong. It was like when it was first in that small neighborhood in FL, and the CDC issued a warning about just that area. How silly. You think the mosquitoes are observing city boundaries?

Hmm IDK. Maybe I will ask our pediatrician what she thinks.

Carp, where to go in March?

Will it be mosquito season during spring break? I'm not too familiar with Florida and not at all with Cuba, but maybe spring break is too early for mosquitos. Asking your pediatrician is a good idea.

As an aside, and not a concern for you, but they have the super HIV strain in Cuba that progress rapidly to AIDS and is resistant to current HIV meds.

If it was just me and my husband we would probably still go. If I was taking my children, boys or girls., I would research the heck out of it and then decide. I would research the Zika virus, where it's been found, is it mosquito season, how close will I be to the infected areas, etc and then decide.

Here in southern Louisiana it's not uncommon to have mosquitos year round, especially when the winters are mild.

Mtn, yes, it has been around since 1947, but not always identified as Zika. Also, like so many other viruses, it was largely ignored by the world outside of areas where it was causing illness (Uganda). It was thought to be more mild than dengue and chikungunya. It didn't begin to spread rapidly until this century and most research started after 2013. Its impact is just becoming widely known, so I wouldn't discount concerns (not that you are at all and obviously) about it.

As far as isolating neighborhoods, mosquitoes do not travel very far, so it seems logical to assume that one area of a city could be more worrisome than another. Of course, when the virus is spread by humans as they move about, then that could be a concern as well.

i always worry when my DIL is in Africa for her job.

Remodelerbuild asked about Spring Break being too early for mosquitos. No, not too early. We have them year round unless we get extremely cold temperatures that last more then a couple weeks. (Which doesn't happen.) then we may not have them during the cold weather, but they come back within days.

Zika may have been around since 1947, but it's leathelness is new. They know that if the woman is actively infected during her pregnancy there is a high probability of birth defects. They don't yet know if she was infected during her lifetime, does it increase the probability of some other kind of neurological problem later when she does decide to have children. Similarly, they know that if an adult is infected, there is a very small probability that the adult may develop Guilliame Barre syndrome... They don't know what happens if a two-year-old gets infected…or a teenager in both cases the child's brain is still developing. This is a total game changer I would definitely change your vacation.

"CindyMac's post was the first time I'd heard of Zika damaging the brains of adults." And....you still haven't heard that! The research report interpretation was a masterful piece of news shading; *one* study on MICE that MAY indicate a problem etc etc. Sheesh, let's get a little bit grounded here shall we?

I live in Miami and Mtn, I wouldn't cancel your vacation plans. Maddie, not sure where you are but in Miami spring is most certainly not a mosquito infested time of year! It's the end of dry season and it's also the end of what are usually a series of cooler snaps and cycles. Believe me, every mosquito in the 305 finds me and I also frequently canoe and boat so I'm pretty aware of that particular facet of living here.

Last but not least, while the very rare side effects that afflict a very small subset of people are certainly frightening, this is a health scare that is being whipped out of all proportion, IMO. I'm not employed by the tourist board :). But zika phobia is out of hand to the actual risk or danger faced by people.

I'm remembering when we were all going to get Ebola. Or Swine Flu. Or 7,000 other things that were going to kill us all.

Not saying Zika isn't going to turn out to be a legit concern... but... unless and until there's actually more than a very small handful of people getting it in the U.S. I wouldn't be worried about FL. I think the media likes to whip up these stories...

The mosquitos that carry this can only travel for around 600 feet, supposedly. So I think that is how they can say it is isolated to a certain area...

I wouldn't cancel the trip. I know someone who got malaria in Africa despite taking the medication, but that wouldn't keep me from going there if I had the opportunity. I also know someone who contracted Lyme disease in the northeast, but I went there anyway. I did follow guidelines such as using a DEET-based repellent.

I figure Zika will be in Texas within a year, anyway. West Nile is already here.

I agree that the media sensationalizes stories quite frequently.

I would not go, I'd choose a place where there's no chance of infection and especially with children.

Runningplace I have not heard of the mice studies. I read about what happened in Tahiti in the Lancet Adults and Zika connected?

I live just north of S FL and I'm not overly concerned about Zika, although I expect it will arrive here soon enough, but I think you should go elsewhere if it's a worry for you. After all, it's a vacation, not a necessary business trip.

We were considering a trip to Cuba because DH had the opportunity for a law continuing ed seminar that is being organized locally, but spouses are unable to go. Still, I told him to go since it is a great opportunity. He doesn't want to go without me.

CDC advice on traveling to Cuba I'd check this page from time to time.

I think writersblock's advice is the best....

Article in the WaPo this morning about a woman in MD who contracted zika from sex. There was no other way for her to have gotten it and her partner had absolutely no symptoms.

Thanks, everyone. I am going to speak with our pediatrician and get her view. In the meantime I have been trying to think of alternatives. End March is a tough time, because it is kind of either beach (almost all Zika) or ski (we are doing that over Christmas tho').

Interesting map from WHO.

writersblock, I think zika will make it gradually up the southeast and south central U.S. It's just a matter of time. Glad DH and I are past child-bearing age, though there are still things to worry about.

Yes, I agree gsciencechick. I expect eventually it will be everywhere there are aedes aegypti.

I think I would be cautious if I was planning a trip with teens. I will be interested in hearing what the pediatrician says.

At this point we are still planning to travel to Costa Rica in January. There have been about 100 cases reported there. All the islands and Hawaii look like they are considered level 2 as well.

So, in the US we have the spectre of Zika and Trump?

Sadly, yes. For the record, I despise Trump but zika is the scarier of the two. I still have not read any competent article discussing what happens when a one-year-old gets a zika mosquito bite. We know their brain is still forming at that point, it's not as catastrophic as at three months and still in the womb, but for all practical purposes is it really not as catastrophic? And how do we know that a woman once infected is not at greater risk for brain damage in any future fetus? I just haven't seen any research explaining anything other than a possible link between zika and brain damage and that information is pretty damning.

Now I heard this morning with the tropical systems expected to hit Florida and the southeast there may be an increase in zika mosquitoes. Sigh.

Iceland? DC and cherry blossoms? Paris? Greek islands?

Here is what my pediatrician said.

She said she would not tell someone not to go. But if it were entirely optional, and something that could be done another time, she herself would not go. Especially to a poor country which has less a/c and may be less sanitary overall. The risks of contracting it right now are small, but that can change very quickly with epidemics, by definition. The effects on those other than pregnant women are still being researched.

I have nixed Cuba for this year because

1. Mixed reviews on the cruise which is still working out the kinks and has only been sailing < 6 mo.s

2. Bad value; for example, Cox and Kings quoted me a price for a week land only that is almost twice what UK citizens pay

3. Evolving infrastructure; Jetblue just started flying to Cuba today. It is going to get better/easier/more pleasant to visit. We do want to go before it is too changed; maybe 2018!

4. Possibility of more severe Zika outbreak

Not having to impact travel -- it's hitting home now. My county just repoerted it's first case and Miami reported the first infected trapped mosquito. It is not stateside and coming to a state near you.

Mtn-I saw a news story about the first flights and it mentioned that going to Cuba right now is like a camping trip because of a lack of infrastructure and amenities for tourists. The Zika wouldn't have made me pass, but that would!

Lascatx, Yes, the WHO map says the entire US is "Highly suitable" to the spread of Zika. Not a drop of Canada though. Those border patrol people must be imposing!

Texan, Jimmy Fallon was talking about the historic "first flight" on Jetblue and said the people couldn't get over the third world conditions. And then they disembarked.

LOL.

I know several people who have been to Cuba, and the conclusion is this: you will pay 5 star prices for a 3 star experience, maybe 4 if you get lucky here and there. One has to weigh that against seeing it "unspoilt", since it will take a long time to get a reliable 5-star infrastructure. I know many people who had great experiences in the "people to people" trip aspects, and that is the primary reason to go to Cuba.

I thought a cruise was a good way to circumvent the tourism infrastructure limitations (things like poor quality beds and food, lack of hot water) but the cruise, as I said, is still working out the kinks.

No. I was in Aruba in January and Orlando in July, and if I could swing a trip to the Caribbean now, I would go.

I didn't realize you all would be on a cruise ship. I remember you and I did discuss going now before it gets "spoiled", so I can also see that POV. Hopefully you all can go another time.