The Alabama Department of Public Health had a video PSA contest to get students thinking about protecting themselves from the Zika virus. Several Bob Jones students placed in this contest. BJ senior Lakyn Shephard won $1,000 for her 1st place video. Cassie Volkin won 2nd place, and Chenoa Gentle earned an Honorable Mention.

The Zika virus has been in the news for about a year. At first, the articles were more about birth defects in far away tropical locations, and then people were worried it would affect the athletes at the Rio Olympics. It’s not somewhere else now; it’s here. Zika has been found in at least 17 counties in Alabama. Madison is one of those counties.

Most people have heard that Zika virus is spread by mosquitoes, but they may be surprised to know that it can also be spread by sexual contact.

Though no people were diagnosed with Zika at the Olympics, it does not mean that no one caught it. The symptoms can be mild or even nonexistent. The CDC states, “In most cases, there are no symptoms. In a few cases, Zika can trigger paralysis (Guillain-Barré Syndrome). In pregnant women, it may cause subsequent birth defects. When present, symptoms are mild and last less than a week. They include fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes.” You have to visit a doctor and have specific blood work to know if you have it. That means most people probably don’t even know if they have it.

“We participated in the contest because it was a good first video project in Multimedia Design. We covered the phases of video production, and students learned how to collaborate, work in groups, and stay within copyright law,” said Mrs. Panagos, the multimedia design teacher. “They also learned how to protect themselves from the virus.”

The scary part is when people who have no symptoms transmit it to other people via sex, especially if a couple is considering having a baby. Scientists are learning more about the virus everyday, and it is wise to stay informed.