Zika infected mosquitos have been found near Miami.
Zika infected mosquitos have been found near Miami.
The summer of 2016 can be remembered for record-breaking heat waves, the Rio Olympics, and the infestation of the Zika virus all over the world. As more and more countries become plagued with what now seems to be the evitable, more and more Americans ignorantly turned their heads the other way. However, karma has caught up with a few of them, as scientists have recently found three mosquitos that tested positive for the virus in Miami. Even with all of the protocol recently put in place by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Customer Service and the CDC, it still isn’t enough. Many are left questioning both the accuracy of the prevention methods, along with protocol to prevent it form spreading to other states.
The Test Results
Information has been released at a relatively slow pace regarding the recent test results. Some are becoming quite paranoid, especially those who are currently pregnant in the Miami area. Miami–Dade County officials began taking preventive measures against Zika as early as July. According to a recent article by CNN, only 49 cases of Zika have been reported in Florida, with numbers expected to rise. Hopefully with the fall and winter fast-approaching mosquitos will die off in large quantities. This investigation has raised many questions among Florida residents. Is it in my neighborhood? Could it affect my quality of life? When will it be gone? All of the aforementioned concerns are viable complaints. Residents still not have received answers to these burning questions.
Like in New York City, Florida Governor Rick Scott has struggled with how exactly to contain the disease. Now, due to recent discoveries officials are now claiming to truly be clamping down in international airports in order to prevent the transportation of Zika into the US. The CDC has been posting travel warnings regarding Zika and international travel for months. Instead of echoing previously allocated sentiments of an NGO, why not come up with a different solution?
Implemented Solutions
As important as it is to contain the disease and cut off contact at the source, it is equally important to fix other problems that might’ve slipped through the cracks. Issues like the health and safety of pregnant women in Florida and information on how to spray for mosquitos can be equally as helpful. As opposed to taking an angular approach on the issue it is eminent that officials become creative in their thinking and implementation of legislation.
No one wants Zika to spread even more than it already has. Even with the approaching winter, clinics still need to be set up and action needs to be taken. Floridians and other Americans have anxiously been tracking the situation due to the fact that it affects the entire country. International travel to the Caribbean and Latin America is no longer advised because of potential risks. Like the cliché ‘its better to be safe rather than sorry,’ it’s better to be on virtual lockdown for a week or two rather than allow the epidemic to spread even further. No one else should have to be infected for this issue to take precedence. It is important. It is valid. Health and healthcare matter, and it is important for citizens to feel safe from a viral infection. As great as the preventative spraying and televised health warnings have been, more still needs to be done. It is important for Zika to end and not remain a looming health problem not only in Florida, but in other countries as well.
- Copyright: Picksell