Flu vaccines will be made available free of charge to citizens and residents of Qatar

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) announced recently that, the seasonal influenza vaccines will be made available free of charge to citizens and residents of Qatar.

This was announced at the launch of the seasonal influenza campaign under the banner ‘Fight the Flu,’ a joint initiative between Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC).

The flu vaccines will be available at all the PHCC Health Centers, Hamad Medical Corporation, Private Clinics (selected clinics), hospitals and semi-government health care facilities according to the Ministry.

Dr. Khalid Hamid Elawad, manager, Health Protection, Preventive Health Directorate at PHCC said that those who wish to get the flu shot can do so at multiple locations including their primary health care center or a designated private or semi-private clinic, said

“Getting a flu shot this year is more important than ever because of Covid-19. The flu vaccine may not protect you against Covid-19, but it will reduce your risk of developing the flu and flu-related complications, and reduce the possibility of getting infected with both the flu and Covid-19 viruses at the same time. It also helps not to get confused with Covid-19 symptoms,” said Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Chair of the National Health Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of the Infectious Diseases Division at HMC.

The concerns are that “the same people who are most vulnerable to severe symptoms from COVID-19, such as those aged over 50 and those with chronic conditions regardless of their age are also at greatest risk from the flu and its complications,” he said, adding that “We also urge children aged between six months and five years of age and pregnant women to be vaccinated against the seasonal flu.”

Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Head of Infectious Diseases at HMC pic.twitter.com/otrUiuYFrm

— وزارة الصحة العامة (@MOPHQatar) October 19, 2020

“We encourage people to come early to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their loved ones from flu – it takes around two weeks for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against flu,” he added.

Source: MoPH

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