Thomson allows pregnant women free changes for trips to Thailand
Thomson has confirmed that it will allow pregnant women to change their travel plans to Thailand free of charge after a number of people in the country contracted the Zika virus.
Thailand has been added to the growing list of destinations where pregnant woman are being advised by the National Travel Health Network and Centre to take extra care due to the mosquito-born virus.
While Zika is relatively harmless to adults, it has been linked to brain and development abnormalities in unborn children.
Yesterday, Thomas Cook said it would contact airlines on behalf of pregnant women to see if they could amend their travel plans to Thailand.
However, the Thai government insists it isn’t dealing with an outbreak of the Zika virus. One recently confirmed case, a 20-year-old Thai man, has been declared free of the virus and allowed to leave a Bangkok hospital, it said.
According to the country’s Ministry of Public Health, Thailand has seen about five cases of Zika virus each year from 2012, which it said was not considered an outbreak.
In a statement it said: "In order to prevent the spread of the Zika virus into the country, the Ministry is implementing disease prevention protocol in four aspects, namely in epidemiology, entomology, birth defects, and nervous complications, along with the enhancement of laboratories and the control of the Aedes mosquito, a carrier of this disease as well as the dengue and yellow fevers.
"The Ministry has advised the public not to panic, and that the best prevention method for Zika virus is the destruction of Aedes mosquito breeding spots, as well as refraining from traveling to areas with the ongoing epidemic, wearing clothes that cover the whole body, and putting on mosquito repellent.
"In addition, Thailand has recently passed the 2015 disease prevention act which will be in effect from March, 2016. This act will enhance Thailand’s ongoing effort to implement disease prevention protocol in line with the International Health Regulation 2005.
"Meanwhile, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is constantly monitoring the situation and strictly follows the guidelines and measures set by the Ministry of Public Health."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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