Residents urged to get vaccinated against flu

Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, head of the infectious diseases department at Hamad Medical Corporation.With temperatures dropping and influenza cases on the rise, residents of Qatar have been advised to visit primary healthcare centres and get the influenza vaccine without any delay. “It is best for everyone to get vaccinated to avoid getting sick and exposing one’s family, especially children and other high-risk persons, to the virus,” said Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, head of the infectious diseases department at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). “We recommend that people obtain the vaccine as soon as possible during the cold months, which are usually over by April or May.”Dr al-Khal said there has been a noticeable increase in the number of influenza cases this winter. “We are seeing more cases of A(H3N2) virus as compared to more A(H1N1) cases last year.”Because the virus changes from year to year, the vaccine will also be slightly different from the previous one. “Getting infected with one influenza virus does not give protection for the next year or against other influenza types. This means people who got vaccinated last year will still need to get the new vaccine this year. Also, there are three types of influenza that one can get sick from, and the current vaccine will protect against all of them,” Dr al-Khal explained.“We have requested physicians to give the influenza vaccine to certain categories of patients who are at higher risk, such as elderly people, children, those with chronic ailments such as heart or lung disease (eg asthma), and pregnant women,” he added. Dr al-Khal said it is safe for pregnant women and children aged six months and above to be vaccinated. “It is also very important for them to be vaccinated, because they can become fatally ill from influenza if they do not get the vaccine. In particular, children below five years can get very sick because they have small airways.” Residents not belonging to these high-risk groups can also ask for the vaccine from their primary health centres. Those with severe allergies, however, should not get vaccinated while those who have fever should delay getting the vaccine until their condition improves. Those who are travelling during the winter are advised to get vaccinated at least two weeks - and preferably one month - before they travel, especially if they are going to countries with known endemic diseases such as meningitis or malaria. Dr al-Khal said they have conducted a two-week campaign to vaccinate clinical and support staff across HMC.“Influenza usually lasts for five days. However, if it lasts longer than that, people should consult their physician because influenza can at times result in another infection. The elderly can develop bacterial infection or pneumonia. Most people who suffer from influenza are at risk even if they get better, and can still develop what is called secondary pneumonia or lung infection due to bacteria.”