Carmen Bowen-Wright
I WAS inspired to write on this article due to a general lack of awareness of immunisation among some persons coming to my practice. Some of them made enquiries about their children who are entering basic, primary or secondary schools, others were persons migrating to the United States or job-hunting in select Caribbean islands.
The first fact they did not know is that to be immunised one needs several visits to the doctor or health centre. The second misunderstood fact is that to protect against some diseases such as poliomyelitis, diphtheria or tetanus, three doses are given a month apart. For some others, it may be six weeks or six months apart. Therefore, when a person presents the month before school or migrating, the immunisation cannot be completed in such a short time.
This is why I am writing so early in the summer to alert prospective students and migrants to begin immunisation now.
BUT WHY IMMUNISE?
Jamaica, like many developed countries such as the U.S., has been able to eradicate many infectious diseases, such as poliomyelitis, or keep disease prevalence low. Those of us old enough will remember how due to past poliomyelitis epidemics many persons (mostly children and young people) were paralysed for life or died. However, by ensuring that each cohort of children born were immunised and by trying to immunise as many other persons as possible, Jamaica has not had an epidemic since 1982.
HOW DOES IMMUNISATION KEEP US WELL?
The vaccines used do not consist of live germ but weakened strains of the germs. The agent injected or given orally is know as an antigen.
This antigen causes the body to make products called antibodies. As in the case of poliomyelitis and tetanus, it is after three doses are given at least a month apart, that enough antibodies are produced to be able to fight off the polio virus or the tetanus bacteria. However, after a number of years, which varies from one disease to another, the level of antibodies become reduced and a single dose has to be given to boost up antibody level - hence the name 'booster'.
WHO SHOULD BE IMMUNISED?
The answer is all of us. However, if resources are strained, priority should be given to children six weeks to two years. In my opinion, the next group that must have primary immunisation and boosters are those working in the health sector and those who are at risk to hepatitis B, such as morgue attendants.
Persons need to understand that the government system only gives the following vaccines, polio, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT); measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) and hepatitis B to select groups. If primary immunisation is given up to age two years only, then persons over five years will need boosters. That is to say, if you have never been immunised since a baby you will need boosters. Persons migrating to the U.S. require, in addition to what our government gives, hepatitis A & B, chicken pox, influenza and meningococcal vaccines. The latter can be obtained in the private sector from some doctors. Immunisation will preserve wellness by protecting us from devastating diseases.
Students and migrants, start your immunisation now!
Dr. Carmen Bowen-Wright is a preventive medicine specialist and wellness practitioner; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
