Parents concerned about gastroenteritis

Heeding warnings to be vigilant of rising cases of gastroenteritis in children, parents in the Corporate Area told THE STAR that they are taking every precaution against the illness.

Gastroenteritis is caused by the common rotavirus, which is prevalent during the cooler months of October, November and December, and presents with vomiting, fever and diarrhoea as symptoms. Nadine Bailey, mother of two, said since the announcement of increased cases, she has been spending a small fortune on bottled water instead of using water from the tap.

"From me hear me a buy and the bottle water dem expensive," she said. "Mi affi buy case a water and every day me haffi give them two each cause me fraid. Mi cyah afford fi lose me baby dem, yuh mad!"

She told THE STAR that while her children, ages four and six, have yet to catch the virus, she constantly fears them becoming infected.

"Mi worry bad! Mi make sure me watch dem because mi tell dem mi doah wah dem a drink the pipe water at all. Another thing, we cyah stop them from play with other kids so the only thing me can do is ensure dem doah drink the water," she said. Bailey said that a case of bottled water ranges between $700 to $1,000 and lasts less than a week.

Another woman, Crystal Bell, told THE STAR that since her niece contracted the virus, she has been on high alert with her children.

"Dem carry har go a Children's [Bustamante Hospital for Children] but she a come on now. She did have it fi like two weeks and it devastating. It did make har weak out and dem things deh. Har mada affi rush wid ar go Children's when she see seh it a get serious," she said.

"From dem time deh, first and more most, cleanliness. Mi affi ensure seh the food weh me use, mi utensils dem wash wid the water weh me buy. If mi a cook nothing or season nothing, mi make sure wash it and do mi preparation," Bell added.

While the state of worry remains consistent, some parents like Rosemarie Stewart said they will not be implementing any new measures.

"I'm not worried because I try to protect my kids from gastroenteritis. What I do is I boil water and store it in the fridge. I don't let them drink the water at school or anything. I teach them about hygiene, to try keep them hands clean, and try not to talk up in each other face and stuff like that, and keep your mask on and try and social distance. Even though they are kids. But at the end of the day, I'm not worried," she said.