In a bid to protect the health of the population, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) jointly with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) launched its annual flu vaccination campaign in mid-October.

Until, November 24, 2020, more than 130,000 people across the country had already been vaccinated against the seasonal flu.

In a video, shared by MoPH on its official Twitter page, Dr. Sadriya Alkohji, National Lead for Healthy Children and Adolescents Strategy at PHCC has reminded parents of the importance of getting children vaccinated against the flu.

“Changing seasons as well as children interacting with each other at school, in particular during the COVID-19 pandemic, may lead to the spread of seasonal flu during the upcoming months,” the official said.

She encouraged parents to set an appointment for their children at any of the PHCC health centers to take the free flu shot.

الأطفال أكثر عرضة للإصابة بالأنفلونزا. قم بتطعيم أطفالك لحمايتهم من الإصابة بالفيروس وللحد من انتشاره.

د.صدرية الكوهجي، القائد الوطني لاستراتيجية الأطفال والمراهقين الاصحاء pic.twitter.com/G74Q6jcZyu

— وزارة الصحة العامة (@MOPHQatar) January 13, 2021

“Children aged below five, especially those who are under two years, are most vulnerable to experience more severe complications due to the flu. Vaccinate your children against the flu infection, its serious symptoms and prevent its spread to others," the official underlined.

Dr Alkhoji said that studies indicate that "flu vaccinations lead to reducing the risk of flu infections, visits to a physician and absenteeism from work" in addition to "reducing children’s admission to the hospital due to coronavirus infections."

The free of cost vaccine is available at all PHCC health centers, HMC (for patients attending clinic appointments) and at over 50 private clinics, hospitals and semi-governmental health care facilities.

This year's anti-flu drive seeks to vaccinate at least 500,000 individuals across the country. The campaign will run until February 2021.

Manager, Health Protection and Communicable Diseases at MOPH, Dr Hamad Al Romaihi called the high demand for the flu vaccine this year, "very encouraging," but urged all those who have yet to receive the shot "to do so as soon as possible, as the vaccine can take around two weeks for the antibodies to develop and provide protection."

The list of private healthcare facilities participating in the anti-flu drive is available here.

For more information regarding the campaign, click here.

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