The Olympics have been a national tradition for many years and is something that countries look forward to every couple of years. This year, the 2016 summer Olympics was set to be held in Rio Janeiro, Brazil. However, should the games be cancelled this summer due to the outbreak of the Zika virus? The games have only been cancelled five times since 1916, and have not been cancelled since 1944. Should the tradition break this year because of the looming Zika virus, a disease that was first detected in Brazil and has confirmed almost 1,500 cases? The answer is yes.

The Zika virus can cause symptoms such as vomiting, itchiness, fatigue and some pain. Nothing worse than the flu. However, if a woman is pregnant, it can cause abnormally small head for the baby and brain damage. There is also a public health alert put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Center. In May, more than 100 doctors and scientists agreed that the Olympics should be postponed, that breaking this tradition is no worse than the possible effects that it can have on future generations.

In a Harvard Public Health Review, it says, " Dr. Amir Attaran, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa, argues that it is “socially irresponsible” for the Olympics to proceed as planned." The world should be listening to its experts in the field. The World Health Organization does not feel like this epidemic will be affected if the games go on, as those that are going are aware and can prepare themselves. Also, those who are pregnant can easily avoid the games.

While this is true, Zika can be sexually transmitted, as well as by mosquitoes affected with the disease, so whats to stop it being accidentally transmitted to someone else, possibly someone that is pregnant? If the Olympic Games go on as planned, people have to be responsible and prepared against the disease. However, we can't trust everyone to be thinking along those lines when they get mixed up with all the fun and activities the Olympics bring with it, so this could increase the spread of the disease.

Since January 2016, El Salvador has been urging its citizens to not have children for two years. If this disease is serious enough to stop population growth in a country, I think its serious enough to consider the worlds priorities. If more people are exposed to these mosquitos, this can definitely increase the disease within the humans and the mosquitos! All it takes for a non-affected mosquito to become affected it to bite a person that has been affected. These games can potentially increase these bugs that can give it to us because its giving a larger pool of potential victims. These victims can continue spreading it to other people, or can be giving new mosquitos the disease.

To stop the potential spread of this awful disease, the games should be postponed until a vaccine is created or the disease is under control. The gain that they bring is just not worth the risk.