Health workers slow to get flu shots

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh says he is finding it difficult to get health workers to get vaccinated against the influenza virus. “It is difficult to get the message across to health care workers and that is to be regretted.

We have a difficult job in educating our health care workers to take the influenza vaccine,” the minister said as his ministry continued its vaccination drive against the flu virus yesterday at Holly Betaudier Avenue, Arima.

“We are not vaccinating against the common cold which would include a stuffy and runny nose. That does not necessarily kill you or land you in the hospital. The common cold will cause a slight discomfort

“What we are vaccinating against is the influenza virus. There is a big distinction between the common cold and the influenza virus. The influenza virus is the more deadly virus which gives you headache, high fever, lung congestion and wheezing and it is that virus lands you in the intensive care unit (ICU) and that can cause death,” Deyalsingh warned.

He said in the United States and England their health care systems could not handle the number of deaths, especially among children due to the influenza virus. He said it was reported that 30 children had died in New York City because of the virus in that one state alone, and was mounting to thousands in other states. He added that in England their accident and emergency departments could not cope with the number of cases coming in with the virus.

He said they wanted to vaccinate as much of the population as possible to break the train of transmission of the virus from person to person. Deyalsingh said for the second consecutive year there have been no reported deaths caused by the virus. However, he said because we have had no deaths we should not start to become a complacent society.

“If one person died because of the influenza virus and it was the front page news in the media tomorrow, everybody will rush to get the vaccine. I hope I am not speaking in vain. The vaccine is absolutely free brought in by the taxpayers’ expense, and to date we have administered just over 20,000.

“Over the next four to five months we want to administer 40,000 more doses. I want to urge all persons to make themselves available to receive the influenza vaccine. It could save your life or your loved ones,” he said.