Zika virus: the travel advice that really matters before you go
There's no jab for Zika, so a quick chat does the heavy lifting here — especially if you're pregnant, trying for a baby, or travelling with someone who is. Come and see your local team at Davyhulme.
Zika is a viral infection spread mainly by mosquito bites. For most healthy adults it's a fairly mild illness — many people don't even realise they've had it — but the reason we take it so seriously is its effect in pregnancy. Catching Zika while expecting can harm the developing baby, which is why so much of the advice centres on travellers who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or going away with a partner who is.
Because there's no vaccine and no specific treatment, the whole game is prevention: knowing whether your destination carries a risk, avoiding mosquito bites around the clock, and — a detail that surprises a lot of people — being careful about passing it on through sex for a while after you're home. If any of that applies to you, pop into the pharmacy before you book or before you fly and we'll give you a straight, personal answer for your trip.
Who should pay close attention
Anyone who is pregnant, or might become pregnant during or soon after the trip — Zika in pregnancy is the central concern
Couples planning a baby, and partners of someone pregnant, since Zika can also pass on through sex for a time after travel
Travellers heading to areas with current or past Zika activity, particularly parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, South-East Asia, Africa and the Pacific
How Zika gets passed on
The usual route is a bite from an infected Aedes mosquito — the same daytime-biting species that carries dengue and chikungunya, most active in the hours around dawn and dusk. They breed in small puddles of standing water and thrive in towns and resorts, so cities aren't automatically safer than the countryside. Zika is a little different from its mosquito cousins, though, because it can also spread through unprotected sex, and it can pass from a pregnant woman to her baby. That sexual route is why the advice carries on for a while even after you're back in Urmston and the holiday tan has faded.
Why pregnancy is the big worry
Zika infection during pregnancy can affect how a baby develops, including a risk of serious problems with the baby's brain and head. This is the reason current UK advice is generally to avoid travel to areas with a high risk of Zika if you're pregnant, unless the trip is essential. If you're pregnant, thinking about it, or your partner is, please talk to us before you commit to anything. We'll check the latest TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) and NHS guidance for your exact destination, and your pharmacist will point you to your GP or midwife where that's the right next step.
Where Zika is a risk
Zika has been reported across many tropical and subtropical regions — parts of the Americas and the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, South and South-East Asia and some Pacific islands. The level of risk varies a lot from country to country and changes over time, so a destination that was active a few years ago may be quieter now, and vice versa. Because of that, we don't work from a fixed list. Tell us where you're going and roughly when, and we'll look up the current country-by-country guidance so you get an up-to-date picture rather than a guess.
How to protect yourself and a pregnancy
With no vaccine to fall back on, avoiding bites is your main defence and it genuinely works. Use a DEET-based repellent (commonly 20–50%) on exposed skin and top it up through the day, wear loose long sleeves and trousers, and sleep somewhere screened or air-conditioned. Repellents suitable in pregnancy are available — your pharmacist will confirm what's right for you. There's a second layer that's easy to overlook: because Zika can spread through sex, condoms are advised for a period after travel, and couples are usually advised to wait before trying to conceive. The recommended timeframes differ for men and women, so come and ask us and we'll give you the current advice for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
No — there's no Zika vaccine and no preventive tablet, which is why we focus entirely on avoiding mosquito bites and, where it's relevant, avoiding passing it on through sex. If you're worried about a particular trip, pop into Davyhulme Pharmacy and we'll talk through a plan that fits where you're going.
Because Zika in pregnancy can harm the developing baby, the general UK advice is to avoid travel to high-risk areas while you're pregnant unless the trip is essential. Every situation is different, so please speak to us, and to your GP or midwife, before you book — we'll check the current guidance for your specific destination together.
It can, yes. Zika can be passed on through sex, so after travelling to a risk area couples are usually advised to use condoms and to wait a set time before trying to conceive. The recommended waiting period isn't the same for men and women, so come in and we'll give you the up-to-date advice for both of you.
For most people it's mild — a slight fever, a rash, red or sore eyes, headache and aching joints — and plenty of people have no symptoms at all and never know they had it. Rest, fluids and paracetamol are usually all that's needed. If you're unwell after travelling, mention where you've been to your GP or NHS 111.
Yes, keep your protection going day and night. The Aedes mosquitoes that spread Zika are mainly daytime biters, but in many of the same countries other mosquitoes carry malaria and bite after dark, so round-the-clock bite avoidance is the sensible approach. We'll tell you what matters most where you're headed.
Almost certainly. We're a community pharmacy team in Urmston used to looking after travellers heading out from Manchester Airport, and Zika advice is mostly information and bite prevention rather than anything that takes weeks to arrange. Call us on 0161 748 3016 and we'll fit you in.
Sources & further reading
This information is grounded in NHS, TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) and UKHSA guidance and is for general information only — not a substitute for a personal consultation. Your suitability is assessed by our pharmacist before any vaccination.
Related vaccines
Heading somewhere Zika is a risk?
Call Davyhulme Pharmacy in Urmston on 0161 748 3016 and we'll talk through bite prevention and pregnancy advice for your exact destination.