UAE Launches National Campaign Urging Vulnerable Groups to Get Flu Vaccines Ahead of Winter

Vulnerable groups in the UAE have been strongly urged to receive the flu vaccine to ensure their protection throughout the upcoming winter season. Dr Hussain Al Rand, assistant undersecretary for public health at the ministry, emphasized the importance of the national campaign launched on Tuesday as part of the National Policy for Communicable Disease Control.

With the flu season in the UAE typically spanning from late September to late March, health authorities are closely monitoring trends. In the Southern Hemisphere, which recently concluded its winter, total cases dropped significantly compared to the 2025 season. Early winter tracking in Australia showed that the case tally was half of that reported during the same period last year.

Despite these promising international indicators, the Ministry of Health and Prevention continues to encourage children, the elderly, health workers, expectant mothers, and individuals with chronic health conditions to take necessary precautions. Dr Heidi Abdelhamid, a GP at Medcare Medical Centre in Al Yufrah, Dubai, noted that combining vaccination with good hand hygiene provides the strongest defense against the virus.

Because the influenza virus mutates annually, updated vaccines are developed prior to winter. According to the World Health Organisation, the world sees about one billion cases of seasonal flu each year, resulting in up to 650,000 respiratory deaths annually. Vaccines are now readily available at hospitals and clinics across the UAE.