The Director of Primary Health Care, Dr Samuel Williams Rodriguez is advising of the arrival of this year’s flu vaccine.

Vaccines for the seasonal flu will be available at the Cayman Islands Hospital, District Health Centres in Grand Cayman, Faith Hospital Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman Clinic.

The locations and times are listed below: –

• The General Practice Clinic at the Cayman Islands Hospital, and all District Health Centres, from 2:00 p.m. to 4 :00p.m. Monday through Friday beginning October 24, 2018.

• Faith Hospital in Cayman Brac from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm beginning October 29, 2018

• Cayman Islands Hospital, Atrium from 10am –noon from November 2- 16 ,   2018

• The Little Cayman Clinic: Residents of Little Cayman should contact the clinic to make arrangements.

The flu vaccine is FREE to all residents. No appointments are necessary; however, persons should indicate to the registration officer at the clinic that they need to have the flu shot.

“We recommend that people get vaccinated as soon as possible and definitely before the peak of the flu season which ranges between December and January,” Dr Williams- Rodriguez says.

Dr.  Williams – Rodriguez further advises that the vaccine is only effective for one season. All persons, 6 months of age and older should get the flu vaccine. It is especially important for people at high risk for complications from influenza and those who live with or care for them, be vaccinated early each year. High-risk persons include the following:

• Young children 6 months to four years of age, but especially those under two years.
• Pregnant women
• People 50 years of age and older
• Persons of any age with weakened immune systems and those with chronic medical conditions such as heart, kidney and lung diseases, diabetes and persons who are obese.
• People living in nursing homes and other long term care facilities.

“To minimize workplace disruption and ensure that as many persons as possible get vaccinated, I am also pleased to announce that our Public Health Department will continue our program of the onsite workplace vaccination initiative for companies with twenty or more employees wishing to have the vaccine”.

To this end, Dr Williams-  Rodriguez is encouraging employers to call as in previous years to have their staff scheduled to receive the flu vaccine. Companies interested in the programme should contact the Public Health Department at 244-2621, 244- 2889 or email [email protected]  to register

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IMAGE: Skeptical Raptor