Mr Speaker and Honourable Members,

I rise today to announce the launch of a one-of-a-kind Public Health Information App by the Department of Health, called Healthy People Bda.

In 2019 the Department of Health promised to deliver an App as a part of the Vaccine Uptake/Vaccine Hesitancy strategy to provide information on vaccines, Department of Health services, and related health information. We had to delay the launch as a result of the pandemic, but I am pleased to announce that the Healthy People Bda App has officially launched and is available to download now from the App Store and Google Play Store.

Mr Speaker,

The app features the following:

• The vaccination schedule, where you can find out what vaccines you should have had, according to your age based on Bermuda’s vaccination schedule.
• A milestone guide with information about your child's development stages.
• Immunization Services, where you can find the locations and times for your next vaccination.

Users can access the Vaccine Checker Feature by inputting their birthdate. The App will show where they should be on the vaccine schedules, view developmental milestones, and clinic services. Users can subscribe to receive messages, push notifications, “In the Know” news notifications, view the gallery, and view upcoming community events.

Mr Speaker,

This App provides the community with easy access to vaccine and child health information and, most importantly, is a space for reliable health information.

The App is part of a multi-pronged approach to increasing the community’s trust, knowledge and participation in Bermuda’s Immunization Programme.

Mr Speaker,

I encourage everyone to download the Healthy People Bda App today from the App Store or Google Play Store – it is an innovative vaccine resource and a valuable platform to share information on vaccination in Bermuda.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.