Scientists: Stop Brazilian Summer Olympics ... ZIKA

[kenny]

Here's a WHO map of where the mosquito-born ZIKA virus has spread.
Besides via mosquitos ZIKA is also spread by sexual contact.



Zillions of tourists and athletes from around the world are about to visit Brazil, the ZIKA epicenter, for the Summer Olympic Games.
When they return to their home countries they will spread the virus around the world.
Yeah, it may eventually spread naturally, but why accelerate massive suffering unnecessarily?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-36401150

Partial Snip:

More than 100 leading scientists say the Rio Olympics should be moved or postponed over the Zika outbreak.
The group says new findings about the virus make it "unethical" for the games to go ahead in an open letter to the World Health Organization.

They call on the WHO to revisit its guidance on Zika, which is linked to serious birth defects.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in May it sees no reason to delay or move the games due to Zika.
The outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease began in Brazil a year ago, but now more than 60 countries and territories have continuing transmission.

While Zika's symptoms are mild, in the letter the experts say it causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads and may also cause a rare and sometimes fatal neurological syndrome in adults.

The letter is signed by 150 international scientists, doctors and medical ethicists from such institutions as Oxford University and Harvard and Yale universities in the United States.

They cite the failure of a mosquito-eradication programme in Brazil, and the country's "weakened" health system as reasons to postpone or move the Olympics in "the name of public health".

 

[december-fire]

Kenny,

Whenever I've seen news items about the Brazil Olympics I just shake my head. The athletes are of child-bearing age and, I would suspect, concerned about the virus. I imagine they're feeling a lot of pressure to participate in the Games; career-wise and from their particular countries.

The Olympics are big business; huge investment for infrastructure on the part of the hosting country (with the anticipation of subsequent substantial revenue), and significant amounts paid by companies for advertising/sponsorship, etc. Not to mention the years of training by the athletes.

Unfortunately, I think financial motivations and national pride will mean that health concerns will be pushed aside.

I can't imagine that Brazil (or any other country) would want to cancel an international event because its perceived that they're incapable of providing a safe environment.

 

[kenny]

Once again, money, pride and politics.

The IOC will make be paying huge settlements when the lawsuits flood in from devastated parents far from Brazil.

 

[december-fire]

Perhaps.

But they might claim no legal responsibility since no one is 'forced' to participate or attend.

 

[kenny]

Perhaps.

But they might claim no legal responsibility since no one is 'forced' to participate or attend.

But but but ...
Quote from the BBC article, "The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in May it sees no reason to delay or move the games due to Zika."

 

[december-fire]

Yup.

And wasn't the head of the IOC making headlines last year (or whenever) for meandering off the path of ethical behaviour.

I'm a realistic optimist. In this case, the realistic side outweighs the optimistic side that the right thing will happen.

 

[VRBeauty]

Pictures a friend of mine took in Brazil about a month ago suggest that the country is behind schedule on some of the promised infrastructure improvements as well... and of course they're in the midst of a bit of a constitutional crisis.

The Zika concern goes well beyond athletes and other participants. Anyone who is bitten and infected could potentially bring the disease back to their home country, and if it happens to be a locale where the right mosquitoes are active... a mosquito could bite them and spread the virus to other local residents. The symptoms can be mild - someone could be unaware that they are infected. Or they could suspect it and still not take proper precautions to prevent transmission.

I'm afraid that if the Olympics proceed, we'll be learning a whole lot more about how insect-borne communicable diseases spread...

 

[sonnyjane]

Once again, money, pride and politics.

The IOC will make be paying huge settlements when the lawsuits flood in from devastated parents far from Brazil.

Just wanted to say that the picture you chose as an example is actually of a rather "famous" baby that has microhydranencephaly (not microcephaly), an entirely different and more severe condition and it had nothing to do with the ZIKA virus. I don't dispute that ZIKA is a real threat, but that photo is a misrepresentation.

http://www.today.com/parents/we-love-hes-here-baby-missing-part-brain-thrives-despite-t47966

 

[kenny]

Thanks.

I Googled Zika baby and the image came up in the top 10.
Pics of babies affected by Zika are equally disturbing.

When it comes to the point of the thread ... bottom line: Sameo Sameo

 

[Jambalaya]

They should definitely cancel the Olympics, but greed and posturing (our country is wonderful! No germs here!) will win out.

 

[AGBF]

When I saw this article on the front page of, "The New York Times" about the American volleyball coach freezing his sperm before the Olympics, I thought of this thread. The article said it is just one of the "precautions" that athletes are taking before the games.

"The level of anxiety over Zika among athletes and coaches headed to the Olympics sweeps across the spectrum. The American cyclist Tejay van Garderen, worried about contracting Zika and passing it along to his wife and his unborn daughter, recently removed himself from consideration for an Olympic spot.

In interviews with many other likely Olympians, most said they were not hugely concerned about Zika but planned to take suggested precautions against it — generally by avoiding mosquito bites. The threat has mostly altered plans of friends and family members who expected to go to Rio to cheer them.

'My brother’s wife is pregnant, so if I go, he won’t be coming,' the American indoor volleyball player Murphy Troy said. 'That’s unfortunate. That’s the biggest impact — other family and friends, people who may have come before may not come now.'"

Link...http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/sports/olympics/zika-olympic-volleyball-coach-freezing-sperm.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=wide-thumb&module=mini-moth&region=top-stories-below&WT.nav=top-stories-below

 

[arkieb1]

It's a pity they couldn't defer the games to somewhere else and allow them back there in a few years time, Aussie scientists North of here have developed mosquitoes that basically stop the ability of other mosquitoes to spread Zika and other diseases, but they can't put enough "good mosquitoes" into the system to eradicate Zika before the games;

https://au.news.yahoo.com/sunday-night/features/a/31792707/full-story-australia-could-hold-solution-to-the-zika-virus/

 

[Tacori E-ring]

My co-worker is also thinking about turning down a spot. I cannot imagine having to make such a huge decision. She has earned the right to perform and I feel sad that the threat of Zika is high enough to keep athletes from participating.

 

[Matata]

In addition to Zika, they found antibiotic resistant super bug bacteria at Olympic venues. And Rio's governor declared a financial state of emergency yesterday. It sounds like the perfect storm.