Today U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) was joined by local public health experts, Hillsborough County Mosquito Control and Hillsborough County Healthy Start to rally the community to prepare and fight the Zika virus. U.S. Rep. Castor emphasized, “fighting Zika starts at home" as all speakers urged the public to take action now to prepare for the virus known to cause birth defects. U.S. Rep. Castor also highlighted a study earlier this year that found that Florida and other Gulf coast states are some of the most vulnerable parts of the continental United States for year-round incursion by the Zika.  The virus is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito which can be found in warm weather climates.

“Florida is already leading the country when it comes to the number of Zika cases reported since last year,” said U.S. Rep. Castor, citing the most recent weekly reports by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State of Florida.  “At this point these cases are travel-related, but we want to make sure that our neighbors, especially males and females of child-bearing age, have the tools they need to avoid contracting the virus and to prevent the spread of it throughout Tampa Bay and the State of Florida.”

There were nearly 300,000 live births in Florida in 2014, and there are nearly 3.7 million women in the state who are aged 15-44 years old.

Using a West Tampa backyard to explain what neighbors can do, U.S. Rep. Castor emphasized that taking everyday actions can be significant.  Being sure to dump any amount of collected water, using window screens, staying covered with long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and breaking out the bug repellent are some of the most effective ways individuals can prevent getting bitten by the Zika-carrying mosquito and curtailing any outbreak, according to the CDC.

U.S. Rep. Castor chastised the Republican-led U.S. Congress as irresponsible for opposing emergency funding for communities, research, response and vaccines. “Republican inaction leaves us more susceptible to this serious public health emergency.” 

Experts from Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and USF were on hand to emphasize the seriousness of Zika.

Dr. Jamie Morano, MD, MPH, USF Division of Infectious Disease and College of Public Health, pointed to preventative measures like those discussed by U.S. Rep. Castor.  “We are working on vaccines for the Zika virus, but we are not quite there yet.”

John Lyons, Hillsborough County Mosquito Control, also joined as well as Lo Berry, REACH UP and Hillsborough County Healthy Start, which works with underserved populations to reduce the infant mortality rate were there to demonstrate the community nature of the commitment.  “Our nurses, case managers, home visitors and outreach workers will serve as foot soldiers to work with our expectant mothers to combat this potential threat to quality of life of our citizenry,” Berry said.

U.S. Rep. Castor serves on the powerful House Energy & Commerce Committee as well as its Health Subcommittee and has called for congressional hearings to better understand about the state of the Zika virus in communities like Tampa Bay and across the country, and now is urging her colleagues in Congress to address the threat of any outbreaks, pointing out actions like President Obama’s request for resources to fight Zika.

“The administration is trying to move fast against Zika, but if Republicans in Congress refuse to act, our communities, the CDC and the NIH will be hamstrung and our ability to prevent outbreaks and avoid fetal brain damage will suffer,” U.S. Rep. Castor said.

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