Zika Prevention Education Has Not Been A Success In Some Regions In America

Zika Prevention Education Has Not Been A Success In Some Regions In America

During the years of 2015 and 2016 Zika was in the news constantly due to numerous outbreaks in the Americas and elsewhere. Given the vast amount of news coverage concerning the Zika virus, you would assume that anybody living in the United States, South America and other nearby islands would be all too familiar with the Zika virus and the negative impacts that face victims who have contracted the disease. This seems like a fair assumption when it comes to women who were pregnant during this two year span given the terrible effects that the Zika virus has on developing fetuses. However, you may be surprised, as public health professionals are learning that in some regions of the US, plenty of individuals, and even pregnant woman are unaware of the negative effects that Zika causes in humans. According to public health officials working in Brownsville, Texas three fourths of all pregnant women who show up to Zika clinics have never even heard of the Zika virus, and obviously they do not know of any Zika prevention measures.

Since the Zika outbreaks occurred a few years ago, American public health officials have required all doctors and hospital personnel to test pregnant woman for Zika every trimester. According to a nurse practitioner working for the Cameron County Health Department, most patients who come into the Mary P. Lucio Health Center, are very poor and often uninsured. Therefore, these particular pregnant women are usually concerned with matters of day to day living. It has also been noted that woman are often more willing to use mosquito repellent than men are willing to use condoms in order to prevent the spread of Zika. Health professionals working at the clinic find this ignorance of the Zika virus troubling. Also, the unwillingness to exercise proper Zika prevention methods is quite problematic in a region like Brownsville where climatic conditions are ideal for mosquitoes. This lack of knowledge concerning Zika and Zika prevention has some public health officials concerned about another Zika outbreak occurring in the southern region of Texas.

Do you believe that another outbreak of Zika could occur solely as a result of ignorance concerning safety measures that can prevent Zika infection?