That " Zika " Decision !

One hundred and fifty of the worlds most eminent medical people have written an open letter calling for the Rio Olympics to be postponed - or moved to a safer venue.  They fear that the concentration of people from all over the world at this sporting event holds the risk of spreading the Zika virus and creating a world epidemic of newborns afflicted with Microcephaly.

They do have a valid point.  The Zika virus is carried by the aedes aegypti  mosquito which is also responsible for delivering both Malaria and Dengue fever when it bites a victim.  It is this same mosquito that is common in the worlds tropic and sub tropic regions and once Ziva takes hold it can spread rapidly and become a communicable disease of epic proportions.

The main victims are pregnant women.  Infection with Ziva increases the risk of babies born with Microcephaly - an affliction that manifests itself as children born with a smaller head, resulting in lesser brain function.  The full extent of the danger is not yet known and it seems likely that men affected by the virus may transmit this disease to a partner during sex.   Warnings have been issued urging caution against pregnancy for those in the area where this disease is rampant..

Unfortunately, Zika is becoming a pandemic in the very spot where this years Olympics are scheduled to be held.  There is a fear that athletes and the vast crowd of visitors may bring Zika back to the rest of the world and spread the infection amongst the host regions  aedes aegppti mosquitoes.

The very idea of disruption to the Olympic games presents immense problems.  Huge amounts of money have been spent in Brazil to prepare the venues and contracts have been let for television rights and associated services.  Brazil is experiencing recession and the government is in crisis.  The commercial community is depending on the games to restore fiscal balance.

The practical side of postponement or moving the games to a different world city are daunting. Rio has launched a massive spraying attack on the mosquito breeding cycle and all forms of stagnant water where they breed have been targeted.   The disruption of a postponement would be immense. Many visitors plan a games visit years ahead and a postponement would throw booking schedules for transport and accommodation into chaos.  Visitor numbers would dwindle - and blight the success of the games.

Moving to another venue would be equally problematic - to the point of impossibility.  Former host cities retain the site facilities but the Olympic village is either dismantled or put to other uses and the vast transport network required is returned to normal levels.  The facilities to hold games at short notice no longer exists.

This open letter will be met with denial from many quarters.  Some will argue that holding the games will only increase the risk that exists with existing travel between between Brazil and the rest of the world - and it is likely that a vaccine against Zika will shortly become a reality.  It is also obvious that the financial fall out will heavily influence whatever decision is made on medical grounds.

One thing is certain.   Many women of child bearing age will make certain that they are protected against pregnancy during their visit to Brazil !