Mosquito Control: Precious Time is Being Wasted…
Dear Editor,
While the Oxitec controversy swirls around us, precious time is being wasted. Time that could be put to use to push back against Zika. Why is that important? Because the CDC has determined that Zika causes microcephaly and other severe fetal brain birth defects!
Until last Friday evening, it had not been revealed that Zika may already be in Monroe County. Mosquito Control Board, Vice Chair, Steve Smith, revealed for the first time that at least one probable case of Zika is under investigation by public health authorities. Smith made the reveal during the Hometown PAC event. What is a surprise is that Smith is dead set against deploying Oxitec.
One must also wonder why Mr. Smith chose to release this confidential information. Information such as this is within the purview of public health authorities, not the mosquito control board. Such information is usually closely held by the public health authorities. It is reported that the information concerning the suspect Zika case had been shared with the Mosquito Control Board commissioners by public health official with an admonition that it be kept confidential. Nonetheless Mr. Smith chose to release the confidential information. It is telling that he chose to so do during an interview at a political gathering. Mr. Smith is a is a candidate for re-election.
The dreadful reality of Zika being in our homes should be no surprise. There are nearly 200 Zika cases reported in Florida, about 40 involve pregnant women. Miami/Dade and Broward County harbor more than half of those cases.
Many who are aggressively opposed to the use of GM/GE in vector control for Zika are being mislead and manipulated by some prominent members of the local power establishment. The power brokers motive is simple. They fear that their property values will be negatively affected by the Oxitec initiative. These individuals value their profits over public health.
The Oxitec initiative will not cure any disease…it is a prophylactic measure. Currently there is no vaccine against Zika. There are vaccines under development, but these are but a hope for the future, and in any event these vaccines are the products of GE/GM. Products that would be injected directly into your body. There is chatter about a bacteria that may contribute to vector control. That research is immature, ready only for small scale testing monitored by the EPA, not the FDA.
Deploying the Oxitec initiative is prudent, and safe. Those who push back against it are putting our community health at risk.
Walter Lagraves
Big Pine Key
I do not agree.
Why would the dangerous Braziilian strain instead of the nuisance strain of zika show up? if it shows at all. One case and its panic time? Zika has historically been a nuisance disease.
Zika was only a nuisance disease until GMO mosquitoes were released to reduce bug populations to reduce Dengue.. The Gmo experiment reduced population of one species that can carry dengue, but dengue incidence soared. Poor accomplishment of goal. Virulent strain of dangerous zIka develops. Duh….
With all the methods of mosquito population reduction, why are you in a panic to use Oxitec’s unproven, possibly deadly experimental GMO solution when there is no epidemic and may never be? Big stock purchase not returning as expected? If that’s not the motive, please stop and think. GMO makes zero sense.
Oh yeah. One more thing: You can kill ALL the mosquitoes by whatever means suits you, and still catch Zika sexually. That is actually the more likely vector for the dangerous strain.
to whom it may concern
i am a resident of key haven and completely resent this oxitec/mcb health intrusion whereas here is a list of questions sent to mcb and all county commissioners back in summer last year 2015..
the highest concern is by whos permission? all met with a deafening SILENCE from the mcb.
local key haven poll of half the households showed a vote of NO CONFIDENCE and AGAINST the RELEASE FOR 75% polled.
below are my questions not to be confused with the 75% against poll taken.
*************
HAS THERE BEEN INFORMED CONSENT GRANTED FROM THE PEOPLE OF KEY HAVEN TO PARTICIPATE AS LABORATORY SUBJECTS IN THIS HUMAN MEDICAL EXPERIMENT?
and if not why not???
1- 75% of key haven residents are against this multi-million frankenbug release and resent being a lab rat for any mcb/oxitec human experiment ESPECIALLY without our permission. when will it be asked?
2- mcb must have a complete EIS overseen by a 3rd party committee before any question of approval is entertained by mcb.
3- oversight and insurance responsibility will be underwritten by whom and what are the policy limitations as noted on the declaration page?
4- there needs be peer review documentation before any question of approval is entertained by mcb
5- the language used in the ed russo in the key west resolution that required the MCB to provide their authority, standards, and criteria for success and failure etc. must also be incorporated and published.
6- please note the mila petition online against the frankenbug experiment. [150k to date]
7- im still waiting on the professors protestation of fabrication proof paper he said he would do on the below hyperlink sent last summer that speaks for itself.
GM mosquitoes increase spread of dengue fever in Brazilian town, causing state of emergency to be renewed
http://www.naturalnews.com/046656_GM_mosquitoes_dengue_fever_Brazil.html
8- this release will also include gmo female mosquitoes. WHAT? do you mean the biting kind?
as you can see there are some serious questions attached to this proposed action…all of which has been to my understanding ignored by doyle the executive director. perhaps doyle is speaking of the other key haven…the one in the invisible all state insurance commercial?
nevertheless i think the point has been made.
thanking you in advance