This year’s Summer Olympic Games start on Aug. 5 in Rio, Brazil and public concern regarding the Zika Virus is creating backlash for the Olympic Committee.

People with an O blood type are the primary carriers of the disease, which causes relatively mild symptoms, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Usually, it doesn’t even require a hospital visit for treatment, but it still raises concern because of its effects on pregnant women. There is a connection between the virus and severel birth defects including microcephaly, or when a baby’s head is smaller than it should be, according to the CDC.

Senior Jarod Danscuk of Howell expressed concern regarding the games’ location, saying that he hopes the Olympic Committee does “something rather than nothing.”

“If [Zika] can spread as fast as media outlets have said it can, I think it’s grounds for additional action,” Danscuk said. Postponing this year’s Olympics, while untraditional, would be helpful, he added.

In regards to the Zika virus, the United States Olympic Committee told athletes they should consider skipping the Olympics should they feel concerned for their health, according to Reuters. Many athletes, including American cyclist Tejay ver Garderen, have taken this advice and elected to skip this year’s event, according to AOL.

Ver Garderen is skipping this year’s Olympics because his wife is pregnant, and the Zika virus could be harmful for the couple’s unborn child.

Freshman Kelly Forrester of Spring Lake Heights said she would skip out on the Olympics if she were in the same situation. Forrester said that if there were any complications with the disease that affected her ability to have kids in the future, it would be upsetting for her.

“I think maybe they should just move the Olympics somewhere else,” Forrester said.

Freshman Will Dean of Middletown also expressed concern regarding the disease. He said he understands why athletes would opt out of this year’s games.

Regardless, Dean said he would attend the games and “take every precaution necessary not to get infected.”

Danscuk expressed similar sentiment.

“If I were an athlete, I would go either way. The sports I like are the sports I like and as a fan, I would go pretty much unconditionally,” Danscuk said.