Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Calling it a waste of public funds, House Deputy Majority Leader Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin has slammed the delay in the Department of Health's (DOH) procurement of the flu vaccine. 

Garin, a former DOH secretary, says it's already flu seaaon and that Filipinos should have already been given access to the vaccines by now. 

Reports said that the flu vaccine procurement had been delayed for the fifth time. It was supposed to be done during the first quarter of the year. 

The doctor-solon explained that the World Health Organization (WHO) selects different types of flu vaccine annually. She noted that the purpose of the flu shots its defeated 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. Sayang lang pera nakalaan para doon kasi mag-iiba na ulit ang prevailing serotype sa susunod na taon," she said. 

(It's a waste of the funds allocated for it because the prevailing serotype will change again next year.) 

"Also, it defeats the afforded protection kasi ang flu season is August until November (flu season lasts from August until November)," she further said. 

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. 

Garin says 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.