The Ministry of Health is encouraging citizens to be cautious, as they have been seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases and deaths locally.
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh issued the caution on Monday, as he launched one of the ministry’s mass vaccination sites for influenza at the Divali Nagar in Chaguanas .
The minister stated that “this is the season for viruses”, noting an uptick in Covid-19 cases globally and increased cases of influenza and non-flu viruses.
He issued a special appeal to those with elder and immuno-compromised relatives to use face masks to protect themselves from taking the viruses home.
Covid-19 cases are also on the rise in Trinidad and Tobago, with data on the seven-day rolling average expected by the end of this week.
Deyalsingh said nine people were currently in hospital and five people had died from Covid-19 since the last update on December 26, 2023.
The minister noted T&T currently has no vaccines, as it destroyed 795,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine which had expired last September.
He said the Government was trying to procure more vaccines, but said this was not easy, as batches are sold in specific and large amounts by different companies.
Deyalsingh said the products were also dumped because people were not seeking the vaccine anymore.
He said he has started to notice that more people were wearing masks since last December and this was “one of the best things we can do now”.
“Once your immune system is compromised, I think the prudent thing to do now is to wear a mask,” Deyalsingh added.
He also warned that at-risk persons may become more severely ill and could die from some strains of the influenza virus. High fevers, which can cause severe dehydration, were cited as a factor of concern and people were urged to visit their nearest health centres at the first sign of severe symptoms.