Zika in Cozumel

[DandyDon]

In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human beings.

 

[deepsea21]

But what's the point? Pick an issue, any issue at all, and you can mine the internet to find vitriolic rhetoric that goes counter to the majority opinion. You can cut and paste it into a thread where you know it is certain to draw fire from those who disagree with it, and then you can just stand back and watch the fun

My point in cutting and pasting those pieces is to give people another perspective that resides outside what the mainstream media is selling. I personally believe it is far, far too early for anyone to claim Zika causes birth defects and for the government, media and even the WHO to definatively claim otherwise is wrong. Now, I'm not posting nonsense such as man never landed on the moon, 9/11 was some conspiracy, or the government has aliens on ice somewhere... I'm simply bringing attention to the fact that there is absolutely no conclusive scientific evidence to date that Zika causes birth defects. The fact is these birth defects can be caused by many things such as alcohol & drug use during pregnancy as well as exposure to many chemicals INCLUDING CERTAIN PESTICIDES (which have been sprayed throughout Brazil for decades).

Obviously people at risk should exercise caution but for anyone to outright state Zika causes birth defects is fear mongering until such time as it is scientifically proven. This virus been around for decades and birth defects have ONLY been identified recently in very specific areas despite the virus having spread throughout the entire region. For all we know, for every malformed baby born to a Zika infected mother there could be 1,000 born to Zika infected mothers that are perfectly normal and yet the statistics of normal babies being born to Zika infected mothers is not being reported and the CDC and WHO say they are not even tracking those normal births. Why?

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Bluntly I sit on the wall on this one. There is a lot of Zika in Coz and Four of my DMs have had iit. Big issue has been a short term rash. But with an island populated by MANY pregnant young women….as of now NO small heads have come out. But like I said earli,r I buy DEET for every pregnant girl I see if I have the opportunity. One would be too many.

Dave Dillehay

 

[deepsea21]

Bluntly I sit on the wall on this one. There is a lot of Zika in Coz and Four of my DMs have had iit. Big issue has been a short term rash. But with an island populated by MANY pregnant young women….as of now NO small heads have come out. But like I said earli,r I buy DEET for every pregnant girl I see if I have the opportunity. One would be too many. Dave Dillehay

Thank you Dave. I am pleased to see there is another here who does not immediately succumb to media hysteria that can result in the destruction of businesses, livelyhoods, and entire economies.

I applaud you buying DEET for every pregnant woman you see as they are fearful just as I would be if I had a pregnant wife and we were listening to all this. I have the luxury of viewing this from the perspective of a person who does not have a pregnant wife, is not trying to conceive, and has no plans to conceive in the future. As such, my view of this is purely scientific and it presents no personal threat to me.

I believe the Zika virus alone does not create these birth defects and scientific evidence will prove it in time. That does not mean others should not exercise caution and take steps they deem appropriate to protect themselves and the wellbeing of their child.

We are booked for 2 weeks of diving in Coz this December and nothing we have heard from the media to date is going to change that.

 

[ggunn]

Thank you Dave. I am pleased to see there is another here who does not immediately succumb to media hysteria that can result in the destruction of businesses, livelyhoods, and entire economies.

That is purely a straw man argument. I don't see anyone in here "succumbing to media hysteria". There may be no conclusive proof that Zika causes birth defects, but there is circumstantial evidence, enough of it that it that warrants taking reasonable precautions, most of which people were doing anyway because of Dengue fever and malaria.

Absence of proof is NOT proof of absence.

The media is damned if they do and damned if they don't. If they were to ignore Zika and it turns out that the birth defect connection is real, then they would be roasted for conducting a coverup. Personally, I would rather know than not know. YMMV.

 

[scubadada]

Thank you Dave. I am pleased to see there is another here who does not immediately succumb to media hysteria that can result in the destruction of businesses, livelyhoods, and entire economies.

I applaud you buying DEET for every pregnant woman you see as they are fearful just as I would be if I had a pregnant wife and we were listening to all this. I have the luxury of viewing this from the perspective of a person who does not have a pregnant wife, is not trying to conceive, and has no plans to conceive in the future. As such, my view of this is purely scientific and it presents no personal threat to me.

I believe the Zika virus alone does not create these birth defects and scientific evidence will prove it in time. That does not mean others should not exercise caution and take steps they deem appropriate to protect themselves and the wellbeing of their child.

We are booked for 2 weeks of diving in Coz this December and nothing we have heard from the media to date is going to change that.

And you are taking your newly pregnant wife or are going to attempt to conceive while you are in Cozumel? If this is not the case, easy for you to say, huh?

 

[mediumone]

That is purely a straw man argument. I don't see anyone in here "succumbing to media hysteria".

Yes, same here. The only hysteria I've seen has been expressed by deepsea21.

I have seen and read of concern by others and the media. I have seen and read the media and others urging caution, and the media and others urging travelers to err on the side of caution ---- but hysteria?? I haven't seen or heard of it.

Perhaps if someone could direct me to a hysterical response ........


Hysteria

noun
1. an uncontrollable outburst of emotion or fear, often characterized by irrationality, laughter, weeping, etc.
2. Psychoanalysis. a psychoneurotic disorder characterized by violent emotional outbreaks, disturbances of sensory and motor functions, and various abnormal effects due to autosuggestion.

 

[deepsea21]

That is purely a straw man argument. I don't see anyone in here "succumbing to media hysteria".

ggunn.. Are you kidding me? On this thread and elsewhere I have been attacked over and over for doing nothing more than pointing out scientific evidence and fact to date.

The vast majority succumb to media hysteria and get so wrapped up in it and the fear that is created they respond with direct and blatant attacks on anyone who tries to share a different perspective. Right here I have recently been called "Ignorant" (obviouly I can read and write) and "Greedy" for simply posting scientific fact? I mean, to call me "Greedy" by definition as 'having or showing an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth or power' makes no sense. I am the absolute opposite of greed and give in every way I can. I wonder if the individual who called me those things even knows the meaning of those words.

When this Zika hysteria passes and (I believe) the virus by itself is proven to have absolutely no impact on the wellbeing of an unborn I'm going to be cutting and pasting and reminding some hateful people here and elsewhere of the attacks they waged on me and the ultimate outcome.

 

[mstevens]

CDC Only Releasing Data on Zika-Related Birth Defects, Not Healthy Births

Of course. CDC doesn't report on lack of disease, which is not something that can be tracked epidemiologically since it's the normal state.

In fact, there is evidence that many women infected with the Zika virus have healthy babies.

In fact, there is evidence that many women exposed to known strong teratogens have healthy babies.

 

[cvchief]

I have been attacked over and over for doing nothing more than pointing out scientific evidence and fact to date.

.

Scientific evidence? I must have missed that part.....