UAE flu vaccine demand soars as schools reopen after summer break

As UAE schools reopened on August 31 for the new academic year, there's been a surge in demand for seasonal flu vaccines, with parents keen to safeguard their children before infections spread. Dr Matta Naiem Boktor, a pediatric specialist at Burjeel Medical Center Al Falah in Abu Dhabi, explained that requests typically increase once children return to class, and this year is no different.

In the past two seasons, vaccines became available earlier, but this time they arrived slightly later. Dr Kalpana Sengupta, head of pediatrics at NMC Specialty Hospital in Al Nahda, Dubai, noted that the resurgence usually occurs about two weeks after children return to school, with more patients coming in thereafter. Travel plays a role too, as people returning from trips can bring back viruses, and schools become breeding grounds for transmission due to close contact among children.

The seasonal flu vaccine is currently available, and doctors urge families to get vaccinated before the peak influenza season. It is covered under Thiqa insurance, though coverage varies with other providers. Protection takes around two weeks to develop after the injection. The UAE's pediatric guidance recommends annual flu vaccination for all children from six months of age, with higher-risk groups including those under five and children with chronic conditions.

First-time recipients may need two doses four weeks apart. Symptoms of flu include sudden onset of high fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, and marked tiredness, sometimes accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea. Doctors strongly advise keeping sick children at home to prevent transmitting the infection to others.