Friday 26 / April / 2024
Muscat: The Ministry of Health has begun distributing the seasonal flu vaccine for groups at risk in the Sultanate and has called on community groups to respond and take the vaccine.
“We seek to maximise the coverage rate of the target groups to reduce the spread of seasonal influenza,” Dr Fatima Al Yaqubi, the Head of the Tuberculosis and Acute Respiratory Diseases Department at the Infectious Diseases Department stated.
“The influenza vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine that has been used for more than 50 years now, and its importance lies in protecting high-risk groups and those vulnerable to complications. The seasonal flu vaccination does not prevent infection from COVID-19, but it reduces the severity of symptoms and must be taken alongside the COVID-19 vaccine,” Dr Al Yaqubi explained.
“The vaccine helps to avoid complications of seasonal influenza in the groups most at risk of disease and it has been shown to reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalisation and death.”
The categories covered by the seasonal influenza vaccination are health workers, the elderly over 65 years of age, those with chronic diseases, those with heart disease, kidney and intestinal diseases, and pregnant women.
“Vaccination is not compulsory, but we recommend the vaccine for the target groups to avoid catching influenza and its subsequent complications. It is provided annually in Oman to the high risk group,” Dr Fatima added.
“The vaccine must be taken annually because the nature of virus changes every year,” she added.
The vaccine costs in between OMR7 and OMR10 in the private hospitals. This year there is pressure on the request for the vaccine, the first batch has arrived, and other batches are awaited.
Al Yaqubi said: “In Oman the flu season usually starts from September and continues till May, but this year the flu activity was delayed not only in Oman but also worldwide maybe because of preventive measures for controlling COVID-19 pandemic, such as travel restrictions and closing schools worldwide.
“The vaccination takes place through the specific mechanism of primary care centres in various governorates, and we have announced the start of vaccination in various media outlets.”
“The World Health Organization has recommended that people should take the seasonal flu vaccination this year in particular because the complications are the same for COVID-19 or seasonal influenza, so taking the vaccination will contribute to relieving pressure on health institutions,” Dr Fatima added.
“The seasonal flu vaccine is important to take alongside the COVID-19 vaccine in order to prevent the two diseases among the groups at high risk.”
“The coverage rate exceeded 80 percent among the pregnant woman last year, and we aspire to increase the coverage rate in all groups this year,” Dr Fatima said.
“The community’s awareness of the importance of vaccination with the seasonal influenza vaccine has increased. People are now bringing their families for vaccination,” Dr Fatima added.
