Schools to ban students without measles vaccine

Come September this year, children who have not been vaccinated against measles will not be allowed to attend.

During a news conference today, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said under the Public Health (Nursery Schools and Primary Schools Immunisation) Act Section 3 (1) "no person may be admitted into any nursery school or primary school unless he produces to the principal thereof a certificate of immunisation with respect to every communicable disease."

He said the ministry will "rigidly apply the law" if a child was not immunised with the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines (MMRI and II).

He made this statement in light of the rise in the number of measles cases around the world. He said some children who were not vaccinated were getting into the education system.

Deyalsingh said he knew there was a problem by checks made in schools.

Principals were sent reminders of this in July 2018.