Two people died from flu

There have been two deaths attributed to the influenza virus for 2018 says Minster of Health Terrence Deyalsingh.

He made this announcement today during a news conference at the ministry, Park Street, Port of Spain, during the launch of the 2019 Influenza Vaccination Drive.

Deyalsingh said the ministry was now suffering from its own success in bringing down the number of deaths due to the virus, and citizens have now become complacent and were not getting vaccinated.

He said many believed that once they were vaccinated they were always protected. However, he said this was not the case as the vaccine each year may not be an exact match for the current virus now circulating, as the virus was always mutating.

Deyalsingh said the ministry made a policy decision that no one would be turned away from being vaccinated as was done in previous years. This decision was made because of the recent floods throughout the country where people were more susceptible because of the muddy waters and dust.

He said they have adopted a system called herd immunity where a large number of people in communities were vaccinated so the spread of the virus was minimal.