Abu Dhabi: Residents across the emirate of Abu Dhabi can get free flu vaccines by visiting government-run primary health-care centres, a top health-care official told Gulf News.
“We offer these vaccines free of cost to everyone, and urge people with low levels of immunity to take the shots as a protective measure. Despite this availability, there is still negligible uptake of the vaccines. So we need to build a culture in which people, especially those with low levels of immunity, protect themselves against the flu,” said Dr Farida Al Hosani, manager of communicable diseases at the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (Haad), which regulates the health-care sector in the emirate.
As the UAE undergoes its seasonal transition from summer to winter, more and more cases of influenza are being reported. According to Dr Al Hosani, the flu season in the UAE has also been getting longer, and now starts as early as September.
“And since people do not have a culture of taking the vaccines, we saw an upsurge in the number of severe influenza infections last year. In severe cases, the flu can even be fatal for those at risk,” she added.
To protect oneself from the sniffles, cough, headaches and the fatigue that characterise influenza, the doctor recommended that residents visit public clinics, run by the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha), to get vaccinated.
In private health-care facilities in Abu Dhabi, each vaccine costs about Dh300. But the shots have been available free of charge at public clinics since 2015.
“We want it to become a habit such that families all head to the clinic together and get the shots. September and October are the best time to get the vaccine. Because the viruses keep evolving, the protection lasts for a year and then you need another shot,” she explained.
A typical bout of influenza lasts for a week, but can persist for longer in children, as well as those with low levels of immunity. It is these people — young children, pregnant women, the elderly above 65 years of age, those suffering from chronic disease like diabetes and asthma, and patients taking immunosuppressant medication — who should most prioritise getting the vaccine.
This year’s vaccines, which are approved by the United States Centre for Disease Control (CDC), offer protection against Influenza A (swine flu) and B, the subtypes that were most common in the UAE last year. They can be administered to people of all age groups, including children aged six months and older.
There are mild side effects from the vaccines, including soreness and redness at the injection site which is sometimes accompanied by fever. Some people also experience headaches, nausea and muscle ache, but these disappear within a day or two after receiving the vaccine.
According to a Haad information leaflet, only people who are sensitive to chicken eggs should be careful about getting the vaccines, and must inform medical personnel in advance.
