Guyana introduces yearly flu vaccination programme

Last Updated on Saturday, 20 September 2025, 15:46 by Writer

Guyana on Monday kickstarted its annual influenza vaccination programme, targeting vulnerable sections of the society including healthcare workers.

Speaking at the launch of the trivalent vaccine, which protects against three major strains of the flu virus – H1N1, H3N2 and Victoria B – Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony sought to assure Guyanese that the flu shot is safe and would not give recipients flu. “This vaccine is quite safe so if you get the vaccine, that doesn’t mean that you’ll get flu because some people believe that if you take the vaccine, that the vaccine could give you flu. That’s not the case. This vaccine is tailored to protect you from flu,” he said at the vaccine launch that was held at the Eccles Health Centre, East Bank Demerara.

Dr Anthony said those susceptible flu are healthcare workers, the elderly, very young children, pregnant women, and those suffering from non-communicable diseases such as asthma, diabetes and heart conditions and persons with other diseases that can compromise their immune systems. “We also categorise people, who are vulnerable, as our health care workers. The reason why we are doing that is because our healthcare workers are at the frontline,” he said.

He told reporters that the health ministry opted to import 15,000 doses of the vaccine at less than US$3.00 per shot through an arrangement with the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO). “We feel that would be to start up with because we don’t want them to expire on us and they would last for the year so it’s made for the current flu season. After that, they are of no value because we have to make for the next year’s flu season,” he said.

The health minister said Guyana, last year, began sending information about the number of cases and the influenza virus’ genetic composition here to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from 10 centres across the country to assist with the ongoing modification of the flu vaccine for the following year. “That is why it is important that every year you come and you get your influenza vaccine,” he said. The centres are also monitoring for other types of viruses, he added.

“There are two systems – you have FluNet and you have FluID – and both of them we have been subscribing to and putting in information to these systems so what that allows us globally to do is to see where there might be an outbreak of influenza and because we’re doing the genetic makeup of these viruses, we can determine what type of viruses are circulating in our country,” he said.

Dr Anthony said last year Guyana sent samples of the virus that were circulating which were used as part making the new vaccines for this year.

The health minister, several nurses and other persons took the flu shot after the launching ceremony. He said whenever there are seasonal spikes, patients have to be treated and sent away, others are hospitalised and there have been a few deaths.

Statistics show that of the 1 billion persons who are afflicted with flu annually, 3 to 5 million are severely sickened and 290,000 to 650,000 die. In 1918, at least 50 million persons died from influenza.