Should I stay or should I go?

AS THE Olympic torch relay nears Rio de Janeiro in the countdown to the games supposed to start there on August 5th, a proposal to postpone or move the event has ignited controversy. An open letter posted online on May 27th and now signed by more than 200 academics and health experts, mostly bioethicists, argues that holding the games as planned is “unethical” because it will speed up the spread of the Zika virus. The reasons the experts put forward, however, do not warrant such drastic action.

Most Zika infections pass with no symptoms. Though the virus can cause a neurological condition that may lead to temporary paralysis or death, this is rare. Zika is at its most dangerous during pregnancy, because it can cause severe brain damage to the unborn baby. Pregnant women are therefore advised to avoid travel to areas where Zika is being transmitted, including Rio de Janeiro.

That is not the letter-writers’ concern, though. They worry that many of the 500,000 foreigners expected to flock to Rio for the games will get infected, and then spread Zika back home. But, though 500,000 is a huge number, it is less than 0.25% of all those who…Continue reading
Source: Economist