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UP FRONTThursday 4 February 2016
Zika affects plans for destination weddings, babymoons
BETH J. HARPAZ
AP Travel Editor
Some travelers are trad-
ing in Caribbean and Latin
American vacations for ski
trips and Hawaii as they re-
think destination weddings,
babymoons and other get-
aways in light of the Zika
virus.
The mosquito-borne virus
can cause mild illness, but
some travelers are worried
about a possible link be-
tween the virus and babies
born with smaller-than-nor-
mal heads, mostly in Brazil.
Dr. Brian Levine, a New York
City fertility doctor, “spent
the majority of the last
week counseling patients
about (the) Zika virus. I’ve
had to have discussions
about canceling baby-
moons, canceling trips be-
fore starting in vitro fertiliza- because they were “un-
tion and even having hus-
bands provide a frozen se-
men sample because they
plan on traveling to a Zika-
affected region for work.”
New Yorker Mark LoCas-
tro and his pregnant wife
canceled a babymoon
APNewsBreak: Fl a.
governor declares
Zika emergency Carla Schipper, who works
TAMARA LUSH
GARY FINEOUT
Associated Press
TAMPA, Florida (AP) —
Gov. Rick Scott declared a
health emergency in four
counties Wednesday after
at least nine cases of the
mosquito-borne Zika illness
were detected in Florida.
Health officials believe all
of the cases are from peo-
ple who contracted the
disease while traveling to
affected countries.
“We have to ensure Flori-
da is prepared and stays
ahead of the spread of the
Zika virus in our state,” Scott
said in a statement. “We
know that we must be pre-
pared for the worst even as
we hope for the best.”
Scott signed the order to
cover Miami-Dade, Lee,
Hillsborough and Santa
Rosa counties. That’s where
all of the affected cases
— the term for a couple’s
getaway before a baby is
born — to St. Lucia. “We in-
stead traveled to Charles-
ton, South Carolina,” he
said. He’s seen friends who
are rescheduling trips post
new destinations on social
media with the hashtag
#zikafreezone.
Laura E. Lynn, who is five
months pregnant, can-
celed a vacation to Pla-
ya del Carmen, Mexico,
her parents had planned
with Lynn, her sister and
their husbands. “I couldn’t
imagine being stuck inside
in long sleeves, paranoid
about being bitten and un-
able to relax,” she said.
Travel agency owner San-
dy Anderson helped a cou-
ple plan a Hawaii getaway
rather than the Caribbean
comfortable” with the risks
posed by Zika.
“We also have a destina-
tion wedding going out
in about two weeks to
Mexico, and two couples
canceled because both
of the women are expect-
were detected.
The order allows the state’s
agriculture department to
use mosquito spray more in
those areas. It also directs
the Florida Department of
Health to make its own de-
cisions about what’s need-
ed from the state and the
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
The Zika virus is linked to
brain deformities in babies
and is causing concern
among public health offi-
cials worldwide. The illness
is primarily spread through
mosquito bites, but investi-
gators have been explor-
ing the possibility it could
be sexually transmitted.
U.S. health officials say a
person in Texas became
infected with Zika through
sex, in the first case of the
illness being transmitted
within the United States.q
Sandy Anderson, owner of the travel agency Travel Leaders Riverdale, poses in her office Wednes-
day, Feb. 3, 2016, in Coon Rapids, Minn. Anderson has heard from a number of clients concerned
about travel to places affected by the Zika virus. She has helped some of them rebook trips to
alternate destinations outside the affected areas.
Associated Press
ing babies,” said Anderson, trip to Nicaragua. He and 20 percent increase in calls
owner of Travel Leaders his wife had arranged for his from concerned travelers,
Riverdale in Coon Rapids, mother to watch their tod- “many of whom are preg-
Minnesota. Her agency’s dler for a week in March so nant.”
website now includes a link they could get away, but Some travelers are unde-
to the Centers for Disease they canceled because terred. Christy Nielson, who
Control advisory on Zika, they hope to have a sec- lives in Dallas, just arrived
and she’s making sure that ond child at some point, in Mexico with a group of
clients understand the val- and “thatched bungalows friends. “We talked about
ue of “cancel for any rea- on the beach of a rainfor- Zika, but decided we’d just
son” travel insurance. est island without air condi- pack a lot of bug spray and
Hung Thai, an engineer tioning or even closed win- long sleeves rather than
who lives in the Seattle dows would put us at extra cancel. Luckily, none of the
area, is maintaining plans risk of mosquitoes.” women are pregnant or
for a December wedding “We are looking at going are trying to get pregnant,
in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. skiing in Canada instead,” so the risk seems manage-
“The biggest point we’ll he said. able,” she said.
be making to our guests is Major U.S. airlines said they Tara Cannon, a Vancou-
to buy travel insurance,” would let pregnant wom- ver, Canada, mother of
he said. He and his fian- en, and in some cases their two who blogs at PintSizePi-
cee, Lina Jiang, are telling traveling companions, re- lot.com, is also planning a
friends who are starting book trips without penalty Mexico trip. She’s gone with
families that “we’re abso- or get refunds for flights to her family to other locales
lutely OK if they cancel. areas covered by the CDC where mosquito-borne ill-
We would not want them travel advisory. Many cruise nesses like dengue and
to travel to our wedding if lines, tour operators and chikungunya are endemic.
they get pregnant.” On the other travel providers are They use repellent and for
other hand, for most travel- also providing credits for fu- sleeping, mosquito nets.
ers, the risks appear to be ture trips or alternate itiner- “We are fully used to be-
limited, “so there’s no need aries for pregnant travelers. ing vigilant when it comes
to push the panic button.” Travel Insured International to mosquitoes and try our
Thai’s wedding planner, saw a 30 percent increase hardest to avoid getting
in the purchase of “can- bitten,” she said.
at Unique Romance Travel cel for any reason” travel Marissa Siebel-Siero’s sis-
& Destination Weddings, insurance policies during ter is going ahead with a
said she’s telling clients if January compared with wedding in St. John in the
they’re expecting or trying January 2015, “which we Caribbean even though
to get pregnant, “travel are attributing to the Zika “multiple wedding guests
should be to the Hawaiian virus,” said spokesman have canceled due to be-
islands, South Pacific and Isaac Cymrot. Julie Loffredi, ing pregnant.”
Europe.” editor at InsureMyTrip.com, The bride-to-be is putting
Kenneth Robison was able also reports a “spike in in- it all in perspective: “She is
to get a refund from Spirit terest in cancel-for-any- supplying bug spray in all of
Airlines after canceling a reason coverage,” and a the welcome baskets.”q