HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh has reminded the population that the covid19 pandemic is not over.

He was speaking with the media after the launch of a flu vaccination drive by the South West Regional Health Authority on Harris Promenade, San Fernando on Wednesday.

In its covid19 update on Tuesday, the ministry reported three people had died of covid19. The trio were elderly men with comorbidities. One man had a single comorbidity. The other two men had multiple comorbidities.

Diabetes, heart disease and cancer are examples of comorbidities.

Deyalsingh said, "We still feel we have a duty to keep the public updated.

"Covid is not over in any part of the world. Covid is still a major problem in certain parts of the world where cases are still rising. We don't have that in Trinidad and Tobago."

Deyalsingh attributed this in large measure to the public health measures employed over the last two-and-a-half years. Sanitisation, physical and social distancing and mask-wearing are some of those measures which are still in effect.

Mask-wearing is no longer mandatory in public.

Reiterating that TT's covid19 vaccination rate of 51.3 per cent could have been better, Deyalsingh said it still did better than many other countries which had rates of below 40 per cent.

He reiterated his praise for the Prime Minister, Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram and other health care professionals who helped deal with the pandemic.

"Today TT is back to normal. We are looking forward to Christmas, parang. We are looking forward to Carnival."

On Carnival 2023, Deyalsingh remained confident that it will happen.

"So far there is nothing on the horizon that says that we can't (stage Carnival 2023). So fingers crossed no new (covid19) variant crops up. Once nothing untoward happens, TT is open."

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