CHILD DISEASE IMMUNIZATION ON THE DECLINE IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

By a Staff Reporter: Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh made an appeal on Wednesday for parents to get their children immunized, in addition to covid-19, he was speaking of childhood shots for mumps, measles and rubella.

This as he said there has been a decline in immunization numbers as schools have been closed, but as schools in the country slowly reopen, Minister Deyalsingh said that they must prevent an outbreak.

He blamed the issues surrounding covid-19 vaccines as being the reasons why many parents are opting not to vaccinate their children for other childhood diseases; something he said is a global issue.

At Wendesday’s covid-19 media briefing, Minister Deyalsingh made it clear that there is no re-emergence of child diseases in Trinidad and Tobago at this time as is the case in other parts of the world.

Confirming with Chief Medical Officer Dr. Roshan Parasram that herd immunity for these diseases is 95 percent, current numbers are at 85 and 81 percent. As such, the Health Minister said he will be reaching out to the pediatric society to work in tandem with the public sector to push childhood vaccination.