Deyalsingh: Avoid forests, get yellow-fever vaccine

MInister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh. -
MInister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh. -

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh is advising people to "avoid forested areas" and says anyone entering them should get yellow fever vaccines.

He offered this advice in response to a question in the Senate last week from Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein about reports of yellow fever being discovered in red howler monkeys.

In addition to avoiding going into forests, Deyalsingh said, "We have told the susceptible group like hunters, hikers, make sure you are vaccinated." He added that one yellow fever vaccine "lasts you a lifetime."

Reiterating that both he and his ministry have been underscoring the importance of people being vaccinated since last May, Deyalsingh said emphasis is being placed on ensuring that 1,325 children under the age of two receive yellow-fever vaccines.

He explained these children are spread out among St George West (422), St George Central (364), County Caroni ( 448) and Tobago (91). Deyalsinghsaid the ministry has been calling parents in these areas to bring their children in to be vaccinated.

He told Hosein, "This is not a national event,"

He also said Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram has been speaking with county medical officers of health "to ramp this up." In addition, Deyalsingh said there have been "thermal fogging, perifocal work and local public service announcements" in places like Biche and Rio Claro.

He stressed that while spraying has been increased, it cannot be done more than once every four months or it will give the Aedes eegypti mosquito a chance to develop immunity to the chemicals and create an even bigger problem.

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"Deyalsingh: Avoid forests, get yellow-fever vaccine"

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