(Trinidad Express) It is possible that as many as six people in the country have died from the flu so far this year, a Ministry of Health doctor said yesterday.
The ministry is advising the public, particularly vulnerable people, to take preventative measures and get immunised against influenza.
The immunisation is available at all health centres.
“For this year our preliminary statistics say probably six persons may have died from the flu this season so far,” said Dr Adesh Sirjusingh, director of Women’s Health at the Ministry of Health.
He was speaking on TV6’s Morning Edition programme yesterday. Flu season generally starts in October and lasts until May/June, Dr Sirjusingh noted, adding that the Ministry is currently ramping up its influenza immunisation programme as it is in its peak season.
“Every year our statistics show there is always a spike around this time leading in to Carnival and afterwards,” he said.
Dr Sirjusingh cautioned that “the flu is not the common cold. The flu is a more serious disease which could lead to hospitalisation and unfortunately may cause death”.
The common cold symptoms are milder and people get over it quickly but the flu tends to “knock you down, mash you up, you can’t do your work… (you get) high fever”.
Flu symptoms include cough, sore throat, body aches, muscle pain, joint pain, severe headaches, chills and fatigue.
He said younger people which get the flu may experience vomiting and diarrhoea.
Also speaking on the programme was the National Nursing Administrator, nurse Sherma Alexander-Campbell, who underscored the importance of getting vaccinated.
Calling it peak season for the flu, Alexander-Campbell said the more people congregate together during the Carnival season, the number of people getting the flu will continue to increase.
Vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children six months and over, and persons with non-communicable diseases are more at risk, Alexander-Campbell said.
She said vaccination was the best choice, particularly for these groups of people.
Dr Sirjusingh said most people may not get very ill from influenza. “You will get sick, yes, but the average person will fight it off,” he said.
He emphasised the ministry’s goal is to have as many people vaccinated to help safeguard people in high-risk groups.
“Pregnant women are more at risk, especially in the last three months of pregnancy. If you get sick, you are the ones more likely to end up in hospital, and the scientific evidence shows that if you get vaccinated, this is worldwide… billions of people have been vaccinated with this flu vaccine,” Dr Sirjusingh emphasised.
The flu can also affect their unborn child—for example, still births, premature births and other challenges.
However, Dr Sirjusingh reiterated that by taking the influenza vaccine, mothers protected their unborn babies.
