Older travelers less likely to cancel travel pans due to Zika Virus, says survey

As Zika virus is spreading all over the world, the situation is getting worse. The knowledge remains low, the information remains incomplete, and the problems increase continuously. People are learning more, and hence, a major sense of awareness has finally started to develop. The sudden outbreak of the virus has made people more concerned, and they are trying their best to avoid any kind of contact whatsoever. Many people are cancelling their trips to countries affected.

However, a recent survey suggests that there is much discrepancy among the age group of people who are cancelling their travel plans due to Zika virus. Travelers who are 60 years or older are less likely to cancel their travel plans over fears of Zika Virus when compared to their younger contemporaries. The survey was released on Monday, and the result was derived after conducting the survey on 1,102 travel agents. It was the same day President Obama called on Congress to set aside more than $1.8 billion in emergency funding in order to fight against the Zika Virus.

Younger people at higher risk by Zika Virus

The survey was done by Travel Leaders Group, a travel agency company from Minnesota. As per their survey, 93 percent of travel agents disclosed that they haven’t had any cancellations by clients who are 60 years or older. Only five percent of the travel agencies said that they have older clients who are cancelling their plans due to the outbreak of Zika virus. The remaining three percent did not find any kind of cancellations but found that people were delaying their trips.

When asked about young travelers, 74 percent of travel agents said they had no cancellations among travelers in their 20s and 30s, while 22 percent of travel agencies confirm that young clients are cancelling their trips, and around 14 percent of clients have delayed their trips. The difference between young and old people dealing with their plans is due to the fact that Zika virus is said to be a greater threat to the younger generation.

Awareness is important, especially for pregnant women

According to the Travel Leaders Group, younger travelers face greater health risk, as they are more likely to be pregnant. Zika virus is a greater threat to pregnant woman and younger people. A mother who gets infected with Zika virus near the time of delivery can pass on the virus to her newborn around the time of birth. The chances are low, but the risk factor following the infection is high. Pregnant women are therefore advised to avoid traveling to areas with major rates of infection.

The Zika virus infection, which is spread by the Aedes mosquito, is gripping many nations. The disease has no vaccination yet, and the spread has been outrageous. There have been warnings and precautionary measures released in hopes that the epidemic can be controlled.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has issued a warning for pregnant women, advising them to consider postponing travel to areas hard hit by the Zika virus. “Armed with the facts, most travelers are opting to travel even as they heed expert advice for avoiding mosquito bites,” said Nina Chacko, chief executive for Travel Leaders Group.