Saturday, January 31, 2015 | 10:25 AM
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Chief Medical Officer, Dr Marion Bullock DuCasse is reminding persons that immunization for children against certain vaccine preventable diseases including measles is offered at no cost at government health centres.
Dr DuCasse is therefore urging parents who have not yet fully immunized their children for their age to do so immediately especially in light of the measles outbreak presently affecting several states in the United States of America and Mexico.
Compulsory immunization for children begins at birth and continues until 6 years old with the schedule as follows:
Birth to 6 weeks: BCG (Tuberculosis)
6 weeks: 1st OPV (Polio); 1st DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis or Whooping Cough, Tetanus) / Hep B (Hepatitis B) / HIB (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B)
3 months: 2nd OPV; 2nd DPT/Hep B/ HIB
6 months: 3rd OPV; 3rd DPT/Hep B / HIB
12 months: 1st MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
18 months: 1st Booster DPT; 1st Booster OPV; 2nd MMR – for children born July 2013 and after
4-6 years: 2nd Booster DPT; 2nd Booster OPV, 2 nd MMR – for children born before July 2013
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Immunize your children - CMO warns
