Tuesday, September 10, 2024

P rominent neurosurgeon Dr Roger Hunter has sparked concerns by linking COVID-19 vaccines to several unexplained deaths and urging Jamaicans to reconsider taking the vaccines that were introduced to combat the novel coronavirus. Hunter, who had previously warned the public to avoid the vaccines, also pointed to hypertension, stroke, and brain tumours as major causes of sudden health crises. “We must address the COVID- 19 vaccines, especially when so many people, including doctors, are collapsing and dying. These were young, healthy individuals who simply dropped dead. We’re seeing things we don’t normally see,” he told THE STAR in an interview yesterday. As at May 10, 2024, a total of 1,534,738 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Jamaica, the Ministry of Health and Wellness said. But the doctor said that the vaccines are not the only culprit to be blamed for unexplained deaths and strokes. “The vaccines can be dangerous, but diabetes and hypertension remain the top killers. Most people who took the vaccine are OK, but it hasn’t even been 10 years, so I can’t say if they’ll still be okay then. They may not die from the vaccine, but they could from diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, or stress. The vaccine can create blood clots in some people, and that can kill them. COVID was never among our top five killer diseases, but I’d advise those who took the vaccine not to get any more.” Meanwhile, Hunter told THE STAR that Jamaicans should not panic about the likely impact COVID-19 vaccines may have on their bodies. He said that illnesses such as uncontrolled high blood pressure are way more dangerous. “We need to be mindful of what we eat and drink and stay calm. If you’re going to worry about the vaccine but overlook hypertension or diabetes, you’re missing the real issue. Up to now, neither COVID nor the vaccine has been our number one killer. The original problem—diabetes and hypertension—was always there, and that’s the elephant in the room.” The World Health Organization in 2022 said that one in three Jamaicans live with high blood pressure or hypertension and that and 80 per cent of all deaths in the country are due to non- communicable diseases. An estimated 236,000 or nine per cent of the country’s population have diabetes, and only 106,000 of these persons, or 45 per cent, are aware of their status. Approximately 679,000, or a quarter of all Jamaicans, have hypertension, with only about 54 per cent or 374,000 being aware that they have the condition, which is one of the leading causes of stroke. 6 THE STAR NEWS • Tuesday, September 10, 2024 @JamaicaStar www.facebook.com/JamaicaStar • www.jamaica-star.com Are you one of the “Lucky 60”? We are searching for 60 lucky persons to help us! We have 60 NextGenTV Set Top Boxes to test and you could get one as we seek your help at this pilot stage of the Broadcast Services, Digital Switch Over (DSO) roll out. Complete this survey for us and help us select the “Lucky 60.” All collected data will be kept confidential and will not violate any guidelines set forth by the current Data Protection Act. We respectfully request that you respond honestly. Thank You, To access the survey you can either scan the code or access the link https://forms.office.com/r/JHUB2QpDyp NextGenTV Digital Switch Over (DSO) Set Top Box testers Neurosurgeon sounds alarm on COVID-19 vaccines M ore than $13 million in grants has been distributed to Hurricane Beryl victims under the Government’s ‘Rebuild Jamaica’ initiative in St Mary, benefiting more than 100 families. The presentations were made to the beneficiaries during the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Rebuild Jamaica tour at the Anglican Church Hall in Port Maria last Friday, which marked the final leg of this engagement. Portfolio minister Pearnel Charles Jr underscored that the $1-billion initiative is predicated on “rebuilding the sense of purpose and unity in this nation, where we continue to take care of each other, even when there is no disaster”. Noting that more than 1,850 assessments were done across St Mary, Charles said the Category Four weather system, which passed just south of Jamaica on July 3, had a significant impact on households and livelihoods in the parish. He urged the recipients to make good use of the cash grants, and advised that there are monitoring mechanisms in place to ensure the appropriate use of the grants provided. Through Rebuild Jamaica, grants of $50,000, $150,000 and $400,000 are disbursed to beneficiaries, depending on the level of damage to each home. $13 million in hurricane grants distributed Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles Jr (right), presents a cheque to ‘Rebuild Jamaica’ beneficiary, Eleth Downer (centre), during a handover ceremony at the Anglican Church Hall in Port Maria, St Mary, last Friday. Sharing the moment is Member of Parliament for St Mary Central, Dr Morais Guy. C ontributed