Cheers to Good Health and Safety for Vincy Mas 2023

J’ouvert starts in 72 hours. Pundits anticipate that this year’s carnival is likely to be our biggest ever with thousands of local, regional, and extra-regional revellers expected to take part.

By adopting a few simple, implementable, and pragmatic measures, the 1000s participating in Vincy Mas can minimize their respective chances of encountering health and safety issues on the penultimate and final days, respectively, of the carnival season, while still having a blast.

Minimizing injuries: Don’t overestimate the level of your fitness. If you are not in the peak of health don’t overdo it on the road. Do a minimum of 10 minutes of stretches and warm-up exercises immediately prior to jumping. Start slow, pace yourself, for you have a long day ahead of you. If experiencing pain, at any time, stop jumping.

Rest: Get a good night’s sleep the night before J’ouvert.

Foot care: Keep toenails short. Don’t wear new shoes for the jump-ups. Your shoes, with proper arch support, should correspond to your foot size. Do not wear shoes with heels.

Hydration: Drink lots of fluids, especially water and sports drinks. Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol. If consuming alcohol, consume the equivalent volume of water for each alcoholic beverage consumed. Avoid energy drinks, for the high concentrations of caffeine within can lead to life-threatening heart arrhythmias.

Skin: A water-based sunscreen should be worn. For dark skin, wear one with a sun-protection-factor (SPF) of 30 or more. Light skin should wear one with an SPF of 50 or above. Cover your head with a cap.

Personal hygiene: If possible carry along a small bottle of hand sanitizer. Sanitize your hands often. Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, and mouth. Ladies should walk with a few non-perfumed flushable sanitary wipes for bathroom occasions.

Ears and eyes: Protect your ears by steering clear of speakers that are blasting loud music.

Wear goggles to protect your eyes from flying objects, hands in the air, and waving rags.

Food: Eat before you go on the road. When on the road eat small snacks every 3-4 hours to provide your body with its energy needs. Be very cautious when purchasing food on the road.

Only purchase food from vendors whose hands are clean, nails are short, clothes are tidy, and hair is covered. Avoid overeating.

Personal safety: Take a group picture on each day of the jump up which is shared with everyone in your group. Only carry the absolute essentials. Do not wear jewellery. Keep cash concealed in a cross-body bag. Share your plans for the day with close family and friends. Avoid poorly lit or isolated areas. There should be a designated driver in your group. Arrange a time and place to meet up in case you get separated from your friends. Periodically check in on each other to ensure that everyone is secure and safe. If dependent on a taxi for transit, make arrangements before going on the road with a specific taxi for your transportation. Never drink and drive.

Sex: Many partaking in carnival become uninhibited and do things that they are unlikely to do at other times. Alcohol plays a major role in fostering such risky behaviour. Do not have sex with anyone not known to you. Every time you have sex use a condom. If you do have unprotected sex see a doctor at the earliest opportunity to receive post-exposure prophylaxis against HIV, and other STDs/ STIs. Females who have had unprotected sex, once there is no medical contraindication, should consider using the morning-after pill. Avoid kissing anyone on their lips other than your regular partner.

Bands responsibility: 2023 is turning into one of the hottest years on record. Against this backdrop, bands are morally obligated to do their best to keep the revellers within their respective bands as cool as possible. In this regard, it is highly recommended that bands have a mist machine or mist-generating water bottles that mist their members every 30-40 minutes.

This will help keep revellers cool and significantly reduce their chances of life-threatening heat-related illnesses. All bands should have someone who is trained in and equipped to administer CPR and first aid.
Please have an enjoyable, safe, and injury-free Vincy Mas!

Author: Dr. C. Malcolm Grant – Family Physician, c/o Family Care Clinic, Arnos Vale.
For appointments: clinic@familycaresvg.com, 1(784)570-9300 (Office), 1(784)455-0376 (WhatsApp)
Disclaimer: The information provided in the above article is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you are seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. Dr. C. Malcolm Grant, Family Care Clinic or The Searchlight Newspaper or their associates, respectively, are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information provided above.