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Take flu vaccine before winter starts in UAE, advise doctors

Abu Dhabi/Dubai - 50% of the flu can be controlled with medication, resting and drinking a lot of liquids

Parents must brace themselves and keep an eye out on their young ones, because flu season has arrived in the UAE, warn doctors.
"There has been a sudden rise in the number of patients with flu symptoms within the past week alone," said Dr Trilok Chand, pulmonology specialist, Burjeel Hospital.
Dr Chand told Khaleej Times that with the current shifts in season and humidity, doctors are witnessing a rise in viral infections across the UAE hospitals.
He stressed that parents in particular, must be extra cautious, as children are often the greatest victims of the flu. He advised parents to keep their sick children at home, noting that schools can be dangerous incubators for viruses.
"Parents must not send their children to schools when they have the flu, because their child can easily spread the infection to others and the child's illness can also rapidly increase and become worse."
"Children should be isolated and under supervision because sometimes it might look like the common flu, but it can be as serious as the swine flu."
Dr Chand said the most common symptoms of the flu are fever, body aches, pain in throat, runny nose, sneezing, fatigue and headaches. "Abdominal upset, loose stools and vomiting are also common in children."
"These viruses are always in the environment and in the air, but whenever they find a suitable environment, which is humidity and winter, they rapidly spread."
He said the flu can spread from one person to another at school, work, home, by coughing, sneezing and even "touching the door handle". "Patients need their symptomatic medication and will need to drink plenty of water because the flu causes dehydration."
He said recovery time usually takes around five days. "If the patient is diagnosed with flu, then it's advised to start the anti-viral treatment."
However, he warned parents to look out for complications of the flu, including pneumonia. "More than 50 per cent of the time the flu can be controlled with medication, resting and drinking a lot of liquids."
"But if the symptoms develop for three days then it's important to see a doctor, who can confirm if this is the flu or perhaps something more serious."

Flu virus can spread by AC
Dr Rashmi Mathia, internal medicine specialist, Universal Hospital, said that non-maintained AC units can also cause the flu to spread at schools, homes, malls, offices, and even hospitals. "Unless you have an isolated AC for the person with the flu - it can spread to other people - if it is a shared AC," she added.
She pointed out that she has also noticed a rise in the number of patients carrying the virus. "If you are sick you should stay in isolation, don't be near people because it can spread through the air."
Dr Mathia stressed that parents must educate their children on how to protect themselves and those around them. "Parents should teach their kids to always cover their mouths and nose when coughing and sneezing and to dispose used tissues immediately - these are common facts, but children might not know them."
She also recommends taking the flu shot each year. "Anyone who is older than six months can take the flu vaccine before the flu season, which begins from September to January."
Dr Mathia said the most high risk people are children, elderly, pregnant women and those suffering from chronic illnesses. "But just because you have taken a flu vaccine a year ago, it doesn't mean it will protect you the following year - because the viruses themselves undergo changes."

Dr Andrew Devine, family medicine consultant at Mediclinic Al Bahr, Dubai, said the spike in cases is the same for any season. "The season is almost here and I haven't seen many cases as of now," he said while speaking to Khaleej Times.
He said that the flu season normally peaked between November to March. Giving an example of UK, the doctor said that a busy flu season was expected which could be brought back to the UAE during travel.
"It could be a busy flu season ahead and I recommend that everyone takes flu vaccine now to avoid falling sick later," he said.
He said that the vaccine was also recommended for children over the age of two years. "It becomes more important for school-going children since they are exposed to germs," said Dr Andrew.
Dr Andrew advised everyone to follow proper hand hygiene. "Adults should take care and clean keyboards, mobile phones which can spread germs while children should be taught how to follow good hand hygiene," he added.
jasmine@khaleejtimes.com