The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on Wednesday donated over 30,000 seasonal influenza vaccines to the Ministry of Health.

“They are effective against the influenza virus and its potentially severe complications, while protecting from measles and mumps,” the Government Information Agency (GINA) said in a press release. However, the vaccines do not protect against the HINI (swine flu) virus.

PAHO Family and Community Health Adviser Dr Luis Seoane and Immunization Adviser Shrey Desai handed over the vaccines to Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy.

The vaccines will be available countrywide and are free of cost. Children aged six-months to five years, persons with certain chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease, health workers and all other critical staff should be vaccinated. The influenza vaccine should be taken once every year.