Prime Highlights:
- The UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) is urging residents to get their annual flu shot ahead of winter to stay protected.
- The ministry has identified six high-risk groups and stressed early vaccination to prevent serious flu complications.
Key Facts:
- Flu vaccines provide 70% to 90% protection against infection in healthy adults and help reduce hospitalisations and deaths.
- The vaccine is safe, used globally for over 60 years, and becomes effective about two weeks after being given.
Background:
As winter nears, the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) is asking residents to get their yearly flu shot to stay protected. The ministry said six groups are more likely to face serious flu problems and should get vaccinated early.
According to MoHAP, the annual influenza vaccine offers between 70% to 90% protection against clinical infection in healthy adults. It also helps reduce hospitalization rates and prevent deaths linked to flu complications. The ministry said that while seasonal influenza is generally mild, it can lead to severe illness among vulnerable groups if left untreated.
The groups most strongly urged to get vaccinated include senior citizens, children aged six months to five years, pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy, pilgrims, healthcare workers, and individuals suffering from chronic diseases such as heart, lung, kidney, liver, blood, or neurological conditions. MoHAP has urged residents to take their flu shots before winter begins to get the best protection.
In its 2025–2026 Seasonal Influenza Awareness Guide, the ministry shared simple tips to stop the flu from spreading. These include covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, staying home if you feel sick, washing your hands often, and avoiding people who are unwell. It also advised cleaning surfaces that are often touched.
Seasonal flu spreads through coughs, sneezes, or touching infected areas. It starts suddenly and causes fever, cough, sore throat, and body aches. Most people recover within a week, but some, especially those in high-risk groups, may need medical care.
MoHAP assured the public that flu vaccines are safe and have been used globally for more than 60 years. The vaccine, which is a non-live injection, starts working about two weeks after it’s given. Common side effects are mild and short-lived, such as slight pain where the shot was given, a mild headache, or a low fever.
The ministry reminded everyone that getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and the wider community from seasonal flu.
