CDC TOPIC OF THE WEEK PROMOTIONAL TOOLKIT

Protect Your Partners from Zika!

August 8-12

This toolkit offers social media messaging, tools, and resources for your agency to use to promote CDC’s Topic of the Week for August 8-12, 2016: How to Reduce the Spread of Sexually Transmitted Zika. The focus of this week’s topicis on1) increasing awareness that Zika can be sexually transmitted; and 2)encouraging people who’ve been in an area with Zika to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted Zika through condoms or abstinence, particularly if their partner is pregnant. It is primarily intended for agencies in the Continental United States (CONUS) but can also be used by agencies in U.S. territories.
Audience: People who’ve been inareas with Zika and their sex partners
  • Priority audience:People who’ve been in areas with Zika and have a pregnant sex partner

TOOLKIT CONTENTS

  1. Social Media Posts…………………………………………………………….. Page 2
  1. Key Messages ……………………………………………………………………..Page 4
  1. Sample Newsletter Content ………………………………………………..Page 5
  1. Images……………………………………………………………..……………….. Page 6
  1. Widgets ……………………………………………………………..……………… Page 10
  1. Resource List ………………………………………..……………………………Page 11

SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

Facebook

  1. Although Zika is primarily spread through mosquitoes, it can also be spread through sex by a person with Zika to his or her partner(s)– even without symptoms or if symptoms have gone away. Learn more.
  1. If you’ve recently traveled to an area with Zika & developed symptoms, you can protect yoursex partner(s) by using condoms or not having sex. Men: Take these precautions for at least 6 months after symptoms started. Women: Take these precautions for at least 8 weeks after symptoms started. Learn more:
  1. If you’ve recently traveled to an area with Zika& are concerned about passing Zika through sex, you can protect your partners. Use condoms or don’t have sex for at least 8 weeks after your return—even if you didn’t develop symptoms.
  1. Protect your pregnant partner if you recently traveled to an area with Zika. Use condoms every time you have sexor don’t have sex for the rest of her pregnancy. Learn more about protecting your future familyfrom Zika.
  1. If you’ve recently traveled to an area with Zika and you have a pregnant partner, use male or female condoms every time you have sex or don’t have sex for the rest of her pregnancy. Learn more:
  1. Zika infection during pregnancy can cause birth defects. Protect against Zika. Use condoms or don’t have sex for the rest of your pregnancy if you partner has been in an area with Zika.
  1. Bring back memories, not Zika, from your trip. Zika can be passed through mosquito bites and sex. Use mosquito repellent & condoms during & after travel to an area with Zika. Learn more.
  1. Condoms can protect your [pregnancy, girlfriend, husband, baby, wife, boyfriend, family]from Zika.

Zika can be passed through sex. Use condoms when in areas with Zika and after you return. Learn more.

Twitter

  1. #Zika can be passed through sex. Use condoms when in areas with Zika and after you return.
  1. Protect yourself & the ones you love against Zika. Wear mosquito repellent use condoms during & after travel to an area with #Zika.
  1. Protect yourself & the ones you love. Wear mosquito repellentuse condoms to prevent #Zika during & after travel.
  1. Bring home souvenirs, not Zika. Wear mosquito repellent use condoms during & after travel to an area w/ #Zika.
  1. Use condoms to protect the ones you love after returning from an area w/#Zika.
  1. #Zika can be spread during sex by a person with Zika to his/her partners. Learn more
  1. Recently traveled to area w/#Zika? Condoms can reduce the risk of passing Zika through sex
  2. Recently traveled to area w/#Zika? Not having sex can eliminate the risk of passing Zika through sex
  1. If you develop #Zika symptoms during travel or within 2 wks after returning, see a healthcare provider
  1. #Zika can cause birth defects. If you recently traveled to area w/Zika, protect your partner and community.
  1. If you’re a #parent or will be soon, learn about #Zika & how to protect your family.

Tweets for Healthcare Providers

  1. #Obstetricians, #clinicians: Read & use updated Interim Guidance for Prevention of Sexual Transmission of #Zika
  1. As of July 20, 2016, 15 cases of #Zika virus infection transmitted by sexual contact were reported in the U.S.
  1. At present, #Zika virus testing for assessment of risk for sexual transmission is not recommended. Why:

KEY MESSAGES

Zika can be passed through sex

-Although Zika is primarily spread through mosquitoes, a person with Zika can pass it through sex to his or her partner(s)– even if the infected person does not have symptoms at the time or if symptoms have gone away.

  • Sex includes vaginal, anal and oral sex, and sharing sex toys.
  • Only people with sex partners who live in or traveledto anarea with Zikaare at risk for getting Zika through sex.

-Condomsand other barriers can reduce the chance of getting Zika from sex.

  • Barriers that prevent passing Zika through sex include male and female condoms and dental dams.
  • Dental dams are latex or polyurethane sheets used between the mouth and vagina or anus during oral sex.

-To be effective, you should use condoms from start to finish, every time during vaginal, anal, and oral sex.

-Not sharing sex toys can also reduce the risk of spreading Zika to sex partners.

-Not having sex eliminates the risk of getting Zika from sex.

[Priority Audience:]

-If you have a pregnant partner and recently traveled to an area with Zika: You can protect her and her pregnancy by using male or female condoms every time you have sex or not having sex during the pregnancy.

-Studies are underway to find out how long Zika stays in the semen and vaginal fluids of people who have Zika, and how long it can be passed to sex partners. We know that Zika can remain in semen longer than in other body fluids, including vaginal fluids, urine, and blood.

-Zika rarely causes serious illness. But if a person passes Zika to a pregnant partner, it can cause serious birth defects in a developing fetus.

Visit CDC’s Zika and Sexual Transmission webpage for recommendations on how long to use condoms or not havesex if you or your partner live in or traveled to an area with Zika.

SAMPLE NEWSLETTER CONTENT

Content for Public Health Partners:

Prevent the sexual transmission of Zika

Although Zika is primarily spread through mosquitoes, it can also be passed through sex from a person who has Zika to his or her sex partners, even if the infected person does not have symptoms at the time or if their symptoms have gone away. Condoms (and other barriers to prevent infection) can reduce the chance of getting Zika from sex. This is especially important if theirsex partner is pregnant, because Zika can cause serious birth defects in a developing fetus. Raise awareness about the sexual transmission of Zika and how to prevent it. Let travelers know that they can protect their partners from Zika after returning from an area with Zika by using condoms or not having sex. Share information about how to prevent sexually transmitted Zika.

Content for people who’ve traveled to areas with Zika:

Protect yourself from mosquito bites and use a condom, every time

Although Zika is primarily spread through mosquitoes, a person who has Zika can also pass it to his or her partner(s) during sex. If you’re traveling to an area with Zika, use a condom every time you have sex (vaginal, anal, and oral sex) and protect yourself from mosquito bites while away.For 3 weeks after your return, continue to protect against mosquito bites to prevent spreading Zika to other mosquitoes. Continue to use condoms every time you have sex for at least 8 weeks after your return (longer if you develop symptoms). If your partner is pregnant, it is important to continue using condoms for the rest of her pregnancy because Zika can cause serious birth defects in a developing fetus. Learn more aboutZika and sex, includinghow to use a condomand how long you should use condoms after travel.

Protect Your Sex Partner from Zika!

Zika can be passed through sex from a person who has Zika to his/her sex partners. If you’ve traveled to an area with Zika, protect your partner by using a condom every time you have sex. Learn more about Zika and Sex.

IMAGES

This section includes images that can be used to promote Zika messaging to people who have traveled to areas with Zika through Facebook and Twitter. Images are intended for the following groups:
  • Travelers to areas with Zika and their sex partners
  • Travelers to areas with Zika and their pregnant partners

WIDGET

This widget can be downloaded at (English) or (Spanish)

/ Protect Your Partners from Zika!
Zika can be spread by a person with Zika to his/her sex partners. Learn more about Zika and Sex.

RESOURCES ON SEXUAL TRANSMISSION AND PREVENTION OF ZIKA VIRUS

CDC Webpages & Materials for Consumers

-Zika and Sexual Transmissionand Zika Prevention

-Condom resources

  • Condom Effectiveness
  • Male condom How-To Fact Sheet

-Zika communication resources, including fact sheets and posters

  • How to Protect against Mosquito Bites (fact sheet)
  • Mosquito Bite Prevention (United States) (fact sheet)

Resources for Health Departments and Health Care Providers

  • Preventing the Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus
  • Questions and Answers for Healthcare Providers on Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus
  • Zika Virus Microsite: Allows you to embed CDC’s Zika content into your own website to easily share information and stay up to date with developments in the current Zika virus outbreak, including prevention, symptoms, treatment, and information for pregnant women and travelers.
  • CDC Zika Key Messages (updated online weekly): Pages 5-7 contain information on what is known to date about sexual transmission.
  • Clinical Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Zika Resources for clinicians, including educational webinars on CDC’s latest Zika guidance for topics such as sexual transmission, counseling pregnant women and their partners, and guidelines for couples wishing to become pregnant.
  • Clinicians cansign up to receive COCA email notifications about current health issues and emerging threats, including upcoming calls and webinars on emergency preparedness and response topics.

Guidelines and Publications

  • Brooks et al. Update: Interim Guidance for Health Care Providers Caring for Pregnant Women with Possible Zika Virus Exposure — United States, July 2016. MMWR 65(29);739–744.Hills et al.Transmission of Zika Virus through Sexual Contact with Travelers to Areas of Ongoing Transmission - Continental United States, 2016.MMWR 2016 Mar 4;65(8): 215-6.
  • Deckard et al. Male-to-Male Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus – Texas, January 2016. MMWR 2016 Apr 15 65(14); 372–374.

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