FORMER health secretary and House Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin slammed the Department of Health’s delay in procuring flu vaccine, saying that individuals should have received the vaccine now that it is flu season.

Garin made the statement following the report that the flu vaccine procurement has been delayed for the fifth time, which was supposedly done during the first quarter of the year.

The lawmaker and doctor explained that the World Health Organization (WHO) selects different types of flu vaccine annually, noting that the flu vaccine defeats its purpose if it arrives in the country in December.

“The flu vaccine is designed in such a way that at the start of the year. WHO determines what is the prevailing serotype for that year,” the Iloilo First District Representative said.

“Sayang lang pera nakalaan para doon kasi mag-iiba na ulit ang prevailing serotype sa susunod na taon. Also, it defeats the afforded protection kasi ang flu season is August until November,” she furthered.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu viruses in seasonal flu vaccines are selected each year based on a variety of data such as epidemiologic data, genetic data, and antigenic data.

The lawmaker pointed out that the best time to have a flu vaccine is every June or before the rainy season. She likewise emphasized the need for annual inoculation of flu vaccines.

Health experts and groups have been urging the DOH to provide free flu vaccines as early as May.