Parents Urged To Get Children Vaccinated

Medical Officer of Health for St. Thomas, Dr. D’Oyen Smith, is calling on parents to ensure that their children are adequately vaccinated.

Speaking recently during the monthly sitting of the St. Thomas Municipal Corporation, Dr. Smith said there have been reports of an increase in measles cases in the Americas.

“So, we’re doing our preparations just in case somebody comes to the parish or to the island with it, that we’ll be able to respond appropriately. We have very good immunisation levels in the island [and] in the parish but we need to always push to ensure we get as close to 100 per cent as possible,” he stated.

“I want to encourage everybody to ensure that your children are adequately vaccinated. You don’t want to be the one that is exposed unnecessarily to measles,” he added.

Meanwhile, as St. Thomas undergoes a wave of new developments, Dr. Smith is calling for better monitoring of the buildings being constructed, as it relates to public health.

He warned against persons putting up buildings “indiscriminately” and without appropriately conforming with health and sanitation regulations.

“You don’t want to fix one need, in terms of people needing food, then create another need,” Dr. Smith cautioned.