Trinidad and Tobago Urges Vaccination Against COVID-19 and Influenza as Authorities Dump Expired Vaccine Doses

PORT OF SPAIN – Health authorities are urging people to get vaccinated against the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the influenza as Trinidad and Tobago recorded five COVID-19-related deaths since December 28 last year.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh also confirmed that the authorities had to dump an estimated 800 000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in 2023.

Speaking at the launch of the Health Ministry’s influenza vaccination drive at the Divali Nagar in Endeavour, in Central Trinidad on Monday, said the vaccines had to be dumped because they had expired.

“People were just not coming forward for COVID-19 vaccines. Many people got vaccine fatigue. Many people believed the misinformation and disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, unfortunately.

“They believed all the outright lies about COVID-19 vaccine. And that’s unfortunate. To have dumped 795 000 doses of vaccines represents a terrible waste. And again, this is a global phenomenon where COVID-19 vaccines are being dumped by the hundreds of millions around the world,” Deyalsingh said.

He said that Trinidad and Tobago had recorded five COVID-19 deaths in the last three months after nearly two months of no COVID-19-related cases or deaths.

The Health Minister said despite the challenges, the government is continuing its efforts to acquire more COVID vaccines.

Deyalsingh said nine people are hospitalised with COVID-19, including one person in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as the emergence of the JN1 strain of the virus has led to a rise in hospitalisations in the United States.

Deyalsingh said as of Sunday night, the JN1 strain had not yet been detected here as he appealed to the elderly population and people most vulnerable to the virus to take the necessary precautions.

“These five deaths have been found to be in the typical population, that is, the elderly with comorbidities, hypertension, diabetes and so on. So we want to send out a special appeal to families with elderly with comorbidities to take the usual precautions, mask-wearing, sanitising, distancing.”

Deyalsingh is also encouraging the public to get vaccinated against the influenza virus so that the flu vaccines do not meet the same fate.

The Ministry of Health said it had received 75 000 doses of the (2023/2024) influenza vaccine on October 2, 2023 and has distributed 22 566 doses.

The country has already recorded one flu related death.