(Trinidad Express) Trinidad and Tobago faces the threat of “twin viruses,” as it enters the yearly flu-season, adding the threat of the H1N1 virus to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This according to Minister of Health, Terrance Deyalsingh who speaking at a virtual COVID-19 press conference on Saturday stated that the Northern Hemisphere will soon be entering a “dangerous,” phase as colder months set in. Facing the beginning of a flu-season, he said both COVID-19 and H1N1 were a threat to be considered by the population. As a result, he said, vaccinating the population against H1N1 is being undertaken by the healthcare system,
“The world, especially the northern hemisphere, is going to enter a very dangerous phase. As the temperatures drop in the northern hemisphere as the fall and winter months come in, those areas are going to be hit now with twin viruses the coronavirus and H1N1 as Dr Michelle Trotman spoke to. There is no vaccine yet for COVID-19 but we are now at the start of our flu season where we have to vaccinate against H1N1,” he said.
To ensure vaccines are available, he said, the Government has procured approximately 200,000 H1N1 vaccines, 100,000 of which were recently delivered to the country. A national H1N1 vaccination drive is set to begin next week Tuesday (September 29) in selected clinics and facilities throughout the country. These vaccines will be made available without cost.
At risk groups, which he said are those similar to COVID-19 risk groups, such as those with diabetes, hypertension, obesity, asthma and pregnant women should take special interest in being vaccinated. However, the vaccines are not limited to those in these categories.
“Trinidad and Tobago has ordered 200,000 doses of H1N1 vaccines, 100,000 of which arrived in the country on Wednesday. The flu vaccination drive starts next week Tuesday the 29 of September utilizing the first 100,000 which came in on Wednesday.
“We strongly recommend and urge the at-risk groups which are similar to COVID, the elderly, those with diabetes, those with hypertension, our pregnant population we are focusing not exclusively because we are not going to turn away anyone. We are urging those at risk groups those with diabetes, those who are obese those with asthma, those who are pregnant to make full use of the free vaccinations provided by the Government,” he said.
Adding that the H1N1 virus is “endemic,”, a disease which can be located in a population without external input, he asked that citizens make use of the vaccines. The vaccines will be available in all antenatal clinics, chronic care clinics and in two health centres in each district. The names of these centres he said would be made available in later communications.
“The H1N1 is what we call endemic to Trinidad and Tobago meaning it is found everywhere in Trinidad and Tobago and has been so since 2009. The following clinics are set up to serve you, all our antenatal clinics, that is where our pregnant women go for their checkups, please make yourself available to receive the vaccine. It is perfectly safe for you and your unborn child. We will be giving out the vaccine in all the chronic care clinics, that is all the clinics that cater to those with diabetes and so on and as an additional point of convenience. We have designated two health centres in each county and that will come out in subsequent communications, where you can go and get your H1N1 shot five days a week Monday to Friday,” said Deyalsingh.
