Health Ministry: Flu vaccine available free

The Ministry of Health is urging citizens to get the influenza vaccine for the Carnival season when many visitors arrive from countries with active flu transmission.

In a release today, the ministry said they were continuing their ‘Flu Season Vaccination Drive’ to ensure the public is protected.

The ministry said the vaccine is available at all health centres, at no cost, and complies with the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations.

The vaccine is inactivated, which means that it does not contain the live influenza virus and therefore cannot cause the flu.

“The flu vaccine provides protection against the flu virus and serious complications like pneumonia, reduction in the severity of flu symptoms, if they do occur, protection against the flu for pregnant women during and after pregnancy, reduction in the risk of flu-like illness in babies after birth, when mothers receive the vaccine during pregnancy, reduction in the risk of deaths in children from the flu, reduction in absenteeism from work and school.”