Meghan Markle's Fiji wardrobe is a secret weapon against Zika
Despite Fiji and Tonga having a moderate risk of Zika virus transmission, Meghan Markle, who is four months pregnant, has still chosen to visit these countries as part of her 16-day tour with Prince Harry.
Now it’s been revealed how the 37-year-old Duchess of Sussex is navigating her overseas travels to avoid the virus, which is mainly spread by mosquitos and can cause serious birth defects, including microcephaly, which causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads.
On Wednesday, Meghan was seen wearing a long-sleeve flowing dress during her official engagements in Fiji’s capital, Suva, and her breezy attire was apparently a calculated choice.
“There is a lot you can do to minimize risks,” James G. Logan, head of the Department of Disease Control at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told People magazine. “Wearing long sleeves and baggy clothes will help. Mosquitos can even bite through jeans, so if the clothing is loose it’s much harder for the mosquito to bite.”
Upon arriving in Suva on Tuesday afternoon, Meghan stepped off the plane in a long-sleeve white Zimmerman dress, another outfit that aligns with Logan’s guidance.
“Wearing light-colored clothing can help, as these mosquitoes are often attracted to dark clothing. It also helps you spot them, if you see a dark mosquito on a light piece of clothing,” he said.
U.K. health authorities recommend that those who are expecting should consider postponing nonessential travel to areas with a moderate risk of Zika virus transmission, until after pregnancy.
According to reports prior to their tour, the royal couple sought advice from medical professionals before deciding to make the trip to these countries.
“The duke and duchess will have taken advice at the highest level before deciding that they were happy to go ahead and plan the trip,” a source told the Daily Mirror. “Every precaution will be taken. The royal couple’s health is naturally of the utmost importance.”
Click below to view Meghan’s royal tour wardrobe:
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