Protect Yourself & Others

a man with his hand on his pregnant wife's stomach

Use the tips below to protect yourself & others from Zika

Prevent mosquito bites

a bottle of insect repellent
  • Zika virus is spread to people mainly through the bite of an infected mosquito.
  • Mosquitoes that spread Zika and other viruses bite during the day and night.
  • The best way to prevent Zika is to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
  • Everyone, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, should take steps to prevent mosquito bites.
  • When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

What you can do


a passport

Plan for travel

  • Outbreaks of Zika have occurred in different countries and territories.
  • Zika virus will continue to infect people. It is difficult to know when and where Zika virus will occur in the future.

What you can do


a box of condoms

Protect yourself during sex

  • Zika can be passed through sex from a person who has Zika to his or her sex partners.
  • We know that Zika can remain in semen longer than in other body fluids, including vaginal fluids, urine, and blood.

What you can do

  • Not having sex can eliminate the risk of getting Zika from sex.
  • Condoms can reduce the chance of getting Zika from sex.
    • Condoms include male and female condoms.
    • To be effective, condoms should be used from start to finish, every time during vaginal, anal, and oral sex and the sharing of sex toys.
    • Dental dams (latex or polyurethane sheets) may also be used for certain types of oral sex (mouth to vagina or mouth to anus).
  • Learn how to protect yourself during sex.

a pregnant couple with their parents

If you have Zika, protect others

  • During the first week of infection, Zika virus can be found in the blood and passed from an infected person to another mosquito through mosquito bites. An infected mosquito can then spread the virus to other people.
  • Zika can be passed through sex from a person who has Zika to his or her partners. Sex includes vaginal, anal and oral sex, and the sharing of sex toys.

What you can do

 

Related Resources

Fact Sheets

Fact Sheets

Learn more about Zika with our fact sheets and posters.

More Information