The Zika virus could be affecting the safety of students going on study abroad trips, according to the Georgia State health clinic. The virus, known to cause birth defects in infants, is carried by mosquitoes and is common in Central and South America. Recently, it has spread to Florida and areas of Georgia.
Before Georgia State student Victoria Brown embarked on a study abroad trip to Ecuador this spring break, she received several warnings from Georgia State about the virus. The study abroad office sent out a message about it, telling students that they should cancel their trips if they do not feel safe.
She also said a doctor at Georgia State’s health clinic warned her about the virus and encouraged her to look at the CDC’s warning.
“I talked to my doctor at the GSU health clinic, and she said that we are pretty safe because of how high up we are,” she said. “But my doctor also said that if we get any lower [in elevation], we should be concerned.”
According to the university’s Study Abroad Director Ryan Rathmann, the virus has not caused any trips to be canceled.
“We aren’t banning any programs because Zika has impacted countries,” he said. “Our line to students is that it is a major concern in Brazil and several other countries. We know that there are a lot of unknowns about the dangers and transmission of Zika and the significant risks there are to pregnant women. We ask students to educate themselves as much as possible and to not participate in study abroad if they feel uncomfortable doing so.”
Rathmann also said that the virus could have more of an impact on the program if there were more trips planned to Brazil. According to him, the extent to which trips are impacted is dictated primarily by what students will be doing on their trip.
“For us, it depends on what kind of program it is,” he said. “Is it a service-learning field work program in rural parts of a country? Or is it an RCB [Robinson School of Business] program where they are doing company factory tours in closed settings? A lot of different factors go in.”
Brown said she finds the presence of the virus alarming but is comforted knowing that the location of her trip will be at a high altitude, where few mosquitoes live.
“My main concern is actually getting the virus,” she said. “We are traveling to Quito, Ecuador, so we are not at risk because it is at such a high altitude. Once we go lower, we are at a much higher risk of getting this virus.”
Marcia Hugh, a nurse at the Georgia State health clinic, said students should be wary of traveling outside of the country. She said she believes not enough is known about the virus and that travelers are putting themselves at a high risk. According to her, Zika has made travelling almost twice as dangerous.
“Any female that is of childbearing age should not travel within the Zika virus infected area and nobody that is pregnant should traveled in that area [either],” she said.
Hugh also said that females are not the only ones at risk. The virus can be sexually transmitted, meaning that males can be carriers. Many people do not realize that they have contracted the virus, because the symptoms look similar to that of the flu. Those infected may experience a fever, joint pain and a rash.
“It is being transmitted by sexual contact,” she said. “If [someone’s] husband travels in that area, it can still cause a problem when they come back to the US. It is a very tricky virus.”
Although Brown decided to go on her trip, she told The Signal that she was being extra precautions to protect herself against mosquitoes by carrying deet, a powerful insect repellent.
“We are all carrying high levels of deet on us,” she said. “We have wipes that have deet in them and sprays. We are also told to wear long sleeves when we are out, not just for the sun, but also to protect against mosquitoes.”
