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SMALLPOX.
Whilst this disease only appears in this country at rare
intervals it is still prevalent in many parts of the world and
its introduction here is an ever-present threat which materialised
at the beginning of 1962 when outbreaks occurred in various parts
of the country. This caused a flood of requests for vaccination
against smallpox which necessitated immediate action being taken to
deal with priorities, viz:-
1. Contacts of cases or suspected cases.
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.
4. Staff of Public Health and other services likely to be
in close contact with recent immigrants from infected
areas.
Special vaccination clinics for such priority cases, except
infants, were arranged.
Calls on general medical practitioners also became very heavy
especially by persons wishing to travel abroad necessitating an
International Certificate of Vaccination required to be completed
by the doctor and authenticated by the local authority.
There is very close liaison between local authorities and the
sea and air ports, and contacts of this disease are kept under
strict observation wherever they may be during the maximum
incubation period of 16 days.

Calculations show that by the end of 1962 72% of children under
one year had been vaccinated against smallpox.