Recent national data on this year’s seasonal influenza virus shows three times as many people have tested positive for the flu in October and November, compared to the same period in 2017. This indicates a much higher activity of the virus this winter compared to previous winters, resulting in many more people becoming sick due to the flu.
According to Dr Abdullatif Al Khal, Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Head of Infectious Diseases, this is a significant and worrying increase in the prevalence of the flu in Qatar.
“Throughout October and November there have been more than 6,800 respiratory samples testing positive for the flu virus. During the same period in 2017, there were only 2,274 positive tests, so it is clear that seasonal influenza is posing a greater threat to the health of people in Qatar this year, and this is expected to get worse during December and January,” said Dr Al Khal.
At the start of October, the Ministry of Public Health, Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), and HMC joined forces to launch a national campaign to provide free flu vaccines to the public in Qatar.
“To date, more than 75,000 people have been vaccinated against the flu. This is very encouraging, but with the severity of this year’s flu virus being clear for us, we encourage even more people to get their free vaccine,” said Dr Al Khal.
Influenza is a serious disease; it can lead to hospitalization and, if complications arise, sometimes even death, as Dr Muna Al Maslamani, Medical Director of HMC’s Communicable Disease Center said. “Every year, millions of people around the world get the flu and millions are hospitalized as a result of it, while hundreds of thousands end up dying from flu-related complications. Vaccination to prevent influenza is particularly important for people who are at high risk for the flu and its complications. This includes the elderly, young children, pregnant women, and people with chronic medical conditions,” said Dr Al Maslamani.
To ensure as many people as possible are vaccinated this year, members of the public can get the influenza vaccine for free at all PHCC health centers across the country, as well as at more than 35 private clinics.
“Primary Health Care Corporation is committed to protecting the health of Qatar’s population and providing the flu vaccine free to all Qatar’s residents with a valid health card is just one way in which we can do this,’’ said Dr Khalid Hamid Elawad, Health Protection Manager, Preventive Health Department at PHCC.
“Across our 26 health centers, we are currently vaccinating around 4,000 people a week against seasonal influenza. There are three simple ways to receive your flu vaccine from the health center you are registered at: you can ask for the vaccine during an existing appointment, schedule a flu vaccination appointment by calling PHCC on 107, or simply drop in to your health center without an appointment and receive your vaccine swiftly,’’ Dr Elawad added.
For more information about influenza and where to get the vaccine for free in Qatar, go to www.stoptheflu.qa
