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Smallpox
No eases were recorded in Kingston during 1962, A series of
smallpox outbreaks did, however, occur in some Midland Towns, Wales,
and London,
The incidence of a number of smallpox cases occurring together
tends to become more frightening than an isolated case and it became
necessary as a result of the reaction of the people to the publicity
given nationally to take steps to prevent a public rush for vaccination,
and to restrict vaccination facilities t© priority groups,
In Kingston this was done by providing special clinics for
three main groups of persons i,e:-
(1) Contact of cases or suspected eases,
(2) Primary infant vaccination,
(3) Persons who had not been vaccinated within the last
year travelling to and from known areas where smallpox
cases had been confirmed,
This brings to the fore the importance of maintaining constant
vigilance and in particular surveillance over persons arriving from
abroad when they have come by air from countries where outbreaks
have occurred,
Most countries insist upon an International Certificate of
Vaccination being produced before travellers are allowed to land,
In this conneetion, a large number of certificates issued by
Kingston doctors are officially authenticated in the Public Health
Department each year in accordance with regulations,