The Department of Health’s Immunization Program administered more than 15,000 flu shots during an island-wide campaign that began last October and ended this past Monday, June 30.

Yolanda Masunu of the DOH’s Immunization Program told Samoa News yesterday that during last month alone, more than 7,000 flu shots were administered by DOH personnel who conducted home visits and also stationed themselves at different locations across the territory, utilizing their mobile van.

Some of the flu shot locations included the Laufou Shopping Center, the Pago Pago tennis courts, the Fagaalu Malae parking lot, and the Suigaula ole Atuvasa Beach Park in Utulei.

The flu shots were offered free of charge for people of all ages.

The next shipment of flu shots will arrive in October and Masunu encourages everyone, especially pregnant women, those who receive dialysis treatments, people with diabetes, hypertension, and asthma, elderly folks 65 years and older, and anyone who over six months old, to get their flu shots early and “avoid the last minute rush”.

Masunu said it is common for residents to call “after the fact” and request to get flu shots after the supply is expended.

The flu vaccine has been offered by DOH every year for over ten years now, thanks to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who supply it.

In addition to the supply from the CDC, DOH also received last June, Excess Flu Vaccine Supply from the US Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) Excess DOD Vaccine Program. For seven years, excess supply of flu vaccines have been donated to the DOH Immunization Program for the people of American Samoa. 

(The USAPI DOD Vaccine Program is a public-private partnership that delivers excess DOD seasonal influenza vaccine to the USAPIs, which includes American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and the Republic of the Marshall Islands). 

American Samoa and other USAPIs receive their influenza vaccine through the CDC, but not in sufficient quantities to achieve the level of immunization necessary for ‘herd immunity’. That’s where JTF-Homeland Defense steps in and assists the islands in ensuring excess flu vaccines are collected and sent to all island jurisdictions.

Last year, under the USAPI DOD Vaccine Program, American Samoa received more than 12,000 doses for its people, which was worth over $100,000. That was the first - and last - year DOH received such a huge supply of flu vaccine.

But this is separate from the CDC-supplied vaccines that DOH was offering for the last nine months and will have in supply again come October, during which time the flu shots will be offered to students of local schools.

During the nearly year-long campaign to get everyone vaccinated for the flu, the DOH conducted visits to  local schools to offer other vaccination shot, including those for tetanus, meningitis, and the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

When the next supply of flu shots arrives later this year in October, flu shots for local students will be offered at the schools during that time.

The influenza virus or the "flu" is a serious and contagious disease that is spread through coughing, sneezing and nasal secretions. Anyone can get the flu, but infections are highest in children, pregnant women, and people with certain conditions like diabetes, hypertension, renal dialysis, and asthma.

“It is the undying duty of the Department of Health to ensure that our community receives the flu vaccine through its distribution to the clinics and various health outreaches in the Mobilized Immunization Clinic Van,” said Yolanda Masunu in an initial interview. “Vaccination is by far the best health tool ever, used to protect our people from diseases.”

DOH Director Tuileama Motusa Nua last year encouraged the local community, village leaders, and congregations to “join DoH in promoting flu vaccinations to help protect our people from the flu virus, especially our babies who cannot be vaccinated.”

The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone six months old and older, including health care workers. Those who want to schedule future vaccinations for their agencies and/or villages can call 633-5318 or the DOH Immunization Program at 699-8464/8465 for more information and to make arrangements.

Seasonal influenza is a deadly disease that kills 36,000 Americans, on average, every year. Receiving the flu shot protects not only the recipient, but also all those people who work closely or live with the vaccine recipient.

DOH reminds everyone — “The flu ends with u.”