People, from parents to office goers and elderly, are queuing up to book their appointments at hospitals and medical facilities for flu shot.

A Dubai resident AR is awaiting for his appointment call from Dubai Health Authority (DHA) for flu shot with three weeks in waiting. He says, “For the last three weeks, I have been making calls to various private hospitals and clinics to get me and my family vaccinated. Most of them have run out of stock and are awaiting a new batch in the first week of November. Now, I called the DHA helpline, and they booked an appointment at a public health centre near my place.” He added, “I am worried for my five-year-old daughter who was hospitalized twice two years ago when she was down with seasonal influenza B. Even after two weeks when she was discharged, she had respiratory complications. I have been trying to get her vaccinated first and I hope we receive a call from the DHA centre soon.”

UAE doctors say that flu shot demand has shot up in an unprecedented way. People are paranoid to get the shot but haven’t been successful. Reason for this, as per the private hospitals and clinics is that the stock of flu shots has already finished due to unprecedented demand of the influenza vaccine this year amid Covid-19. The stocks of both the trivalent and the quadrivalent flu vaccine, recently launched by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) have already run out.

Dr Salvin George, Specialist Internal Medicine, Medcare Hospital – Al Safa said, “The hospitals and suppliers are unable to keep up with the demand. The initial flu vaccine campaigns have come to a dead stop due to lack of supply.”

“Although the vaccine does not protect one from Covid-19 infections, it may reduce severity by boosting general immunity and possibly cross-immunity as they are belonging to the family of coronaviruses,” he explains. He said that all Medcare Hospitals have the quadrivalent vaccine stock for this week with cost as Dh46.

Dr Bobomurod, Family Medicine Specialist at Canadian Specialist Hospital, says that the flu vaccine demand has surged by almost 50% as compared to last year. He also said that past month he has been administering trivalent version of flu vaccine to over 100 patients per day. He says, “Although we were well-stocked, we are witnessing unprecedented demand for the seasonal influenza vaccine from not only worried parents but also adults because people want to protect themselves from any kind of respiratory disease that may make them easy prey of the Covid-19 virus. In fact, we have been administering two different strains of the flu vaccine — the trivalent vaccine that is designed to protect against three different flu viruses, two influenza A strains and one influenza B. We also are giving the newly introduced quadrivalent influenza (flu) vaccine which has an added B virus strain to the vaccine. Just two days back, we ran out of stock for the trivalent vaccine and are awaiting the next batch at the beginning of November. We still have some four-strain vaccine left but that will also get over in another day or so.”

Dr Santosh Kumar Sharma, Medical Director and Consultant Neurosurgeon at NMC Royal Hospital DIP Dubai, also said that they were also out of stock for the flu vaccines but will be getting fresh stock next week. He said, “The demand for the influenza flu shot has been significantly higher than in the previous years. However, there has been a severe shortage of the vaccine locally. We will have the four-strain influenza vaccine in about a week’s time. The tetravalent vaccine is priced at Dh100. And this time we have noticed that apart from walk-in patients and families, several corporates have put forward requests to provide the flu shots for their employees.”

Fadi Hamwi, Family Medicine Consultant at the American Hospital Dubai, however said that American Hospitals and clinics have sufficient stocks of the vaccine. “This year we are seeing the younger population interested in the flu vaccine as there is a greater focus on maintaining wellbeing and general health. We are lucky that we still have some stocks of the vaccines left. The vaccine will not protect against all types of flu and cold viruses but can only protect against the influenza viruses which are the more severe ones.”

Abu Dhabi health facilities have launched initiative to ensure all workers receive influenza vaccine. Health centres under the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) launched free influenza vaccination initiative for all community members.

The Department of Health (DoH) – Abu Dhabi has urged doctors to direct patients to clinics where the vaccine is being provided. The authority has also instructed health facilities to register all influenza vaccinations that are administered through online system and report cases of suspected side-effects of vaccination.

According to health experts at the DoH, Abu Dhabi, a majority of people who are affected by flu recover within a few days to two weeks. Few may develop serious health problems like infections in the lungs, ear, sinus and worsening of chronic health problems. Flu can be life-threatening for younger children, pregnant women, older adults and people with chronic health problems or weak immunity, that can develop complications.

There are various strains of the influenza virus and it mutates every year. This is the reason why vaccines have to be changed accordingly to help provide protection against the virus. In Dubai, MoHAP launched its annual National Seasonal Flu Awareness Campaign on September 28. It launched a new four-strain vaccine, designed specifically to protect against four most common strains of the flu virus: two strains of influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2) and two of influenza B.

Free vaccination is available for people suffering from chronic diseases, children under five years of age, pregnant women, elderly and health workers. MoHAP also said that expats who are not exempted can get the vaccine for Dh50 at private clinics and hospitals, if they have a valid health card. The DHA is also offering free vaccination for all elders aged 65 and above, children below five-years-old, pregnant women and people of determination, across all its primary health care centres and medical fitness centres. Emiratis can get vaccinated for free. Dh50 is the vaccination charge for all Dubai residents who are not from the high-risk group.

There are many people who are aware regarding the importance of getting the influenza vaccination. Tariq Mohammad, Pakistani expat living in Abu Dhabi, father of two boys aged 14 and 18, says, “My family has already received the flu jab. I always make sure that we are vaccinated every year as a precautionary measure to protect ourselves from seasonal influenza and also for the protection of the society.”

Cleopatra Nanyange, a Ugandan mother in Abu Dhabi says, “I know vaccination is important. But the flu shot wasn’t included on the immunisation chart for my kids. Also, taking the flu vaccine from private hospitals is not free. There is a charge for it and is not covered by our health insurance.”

The peak period of flu activity is between September and February, and can last till May.

“The overall health impact (e.g., infections, hospitalisations, and deaths) of a flu season varies from season to season. Studies have found that during the 2018-2019 flu season, flu vaccination reduced flu-associated hospitalisation by 41 percent and flu-associated emergency department visits by half among children (aged six months to 17 years old),” said Dr Jimmy Joseph, Specialist Internal Medicine Diabetologist, Aster Speciality Medical Centre, Pavilion mall – France cluster.

Flu vaccine can reduce the number of doctor visits due to flu by 40% to 60%. Dr. Joseph stresses that getting flu shot in 2020 is more important than ever due to ongoing Covid-19 that can put dual pressure on the healthcare system.” It will be a burden to the healthcare systems treating both patients with flu and patients with Covid-19. Both have the same respiratory symptoms. Hence getting a flu vaccine during 2020-2021 is more important than ever,” he said.

According to the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha), during last season (2019-2020) over 180,000 people, citizens and residents were given the influenza vaccination in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, 22,394 SEHA employees have also been vaccinated which is a part of the leadership’s vision of “Abu Dhabi a healthy society.”

There are two strains of the influenza vaccine - Trivalent vaccine, which is designed to protect against three different flu viruses, two influenza A strains and one influenza B; Quadrivalent influenza (flu) vaccine, which has an added B virus strain to the trivalent vaccine.

800DHA is the Hotline to inquire information on the locations and timings of DHA’s vaccination services.

Where is flu vaccine available?

Dubai

·       Public primary healthcare centres

·       Private hospitals

·       On walk-in basis at three DHA Medical Fitness Centres — Jumeirah Lake Towers, Uptown Mirdif and City Walk

Abu Dhabi

·       Healthcare centres (under Seha, Mubadala Healthcare)

·       Private healthcare facilities

Who must take the vaccine: Everyone above 6 months of age.

High risk group:

·       All healthcare workers

·       Children below 5 years

·       Pregnant women

·       Smokers

·       People aged 65 years and above

·       Having long-term health problems (chronic disease): Diabetes, Heart disease, Chronic lung disease

Cost of flu vaccine in private hospitals/clinics in UAE

·       Between Dh45 to Dh100 for adults

·       Dh89 for children above five