EDITORIAL

We note with interest an education programme being undertaken by the Barbados Red Cross entitled the Zika Project, which to date has touched several primary schools across the island.

It is aimed at increasing public awareness about the Aedes Aegypti mosquito amongst the youngest in our population, and hopefully preventing illnesses carried by these pests.

We commend the Red Cross for its ongoing effort to address national health concerns, and urge Barbadians not to rest on their laurels with regard to this vector, especially in light of recent precipitation and the June start of hurricane/rainy season. Each individual should continue to be vigilant and proactive in keeping their environs clean and themselves protected.

To this end, health officials have advised homeowners to safeguard their health by inspecting their premises on a weekly basis to make sure that there are no places where water can settle and to eliminate all potential mosquito breeding places.

Members of the public are further advised to spray inside their homes with insect repellent or use one on their skin, and wear light-coloured, long pants and long sleeved shirts when outdoors.

These, according to them, are some of the more effective solutions which individuals can take to prevent the spread of viruses carried by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito.

Barbadians too laid back

Based on the huge increase in the cases of dengue fever in past years, and the emergence of Chikungunya and the Zika virus, it is evident that Barbadians are becoming too laid back with regard to vector control.

It is hoped that this latest push at the school level motivates a behavioural change in homes and that the warnings do not fall on deaf
ears.

This becomes doubly important as there is no vaccine for the latter two ailments and moreso the symptoms, while similar to dengue fever with high fever, headache, rash, nausea and muscle pain, are far worse and includes stiffness and severe joint pain in the wrists, knuckles or ankles, a possible debilitating arthritic pain persisting for weeks or months and, in the case of Zika, a risk of microcephaly in babies born to affected mothers.

Barbadians need to do away with the lackadaisical attitude whereby they refuse to take responsibility unless forced to.

This lazy mentality has led to the misguided belief that it is Government’s duty to fog neighbourhoods and clean up environs which could be potential breeding grounds, whether they are capable of doing so or not.

Common sense has to come into play. While the Ministry of Health has been given a mandate to keep our environs clean, every person must still do what they can as well, for it impacts us all, so everyone must be willing to step up and, at the very least, keep their own property and communities clean.