UAE: Leave gap of three weeks between flu shot and Covid vaccine, says top official

Dubai - Free influenza vaccines will be provided to high risk individuals

A UAE health official on Monday urged residents to get both the Covid vaccine and a flu shot — but there should be a gap of at least three weeks between jabs.

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Though it’s vital to take both vaccines — especially as the flu season sets in — they are completely different in terms of composition, said Dr Farida Al Hosani, executive director of the infection diseases sector at the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.

“The flu vaccine has inactivated particles of the influenza virus, whereas Covid vaccines have different manufacturing methods based on the company making it, and have components of Covid-19. We urge the community to get both vaccinations at the earliest after the recommended gap of three weeks,” she explained.

Dr Al Hosani spoke at the launch of the annual National Seasonal Flu Awareness Campaign, which is promoted by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (Mohap) to raise the community’s awareness of the importance of vaccination.

Seasonal flu is a transmissible disease, usually seen in the UAE during the winter months, from October to April. It is categorised in three types: A, B and C.

“The flu vaccine is updated on a yearly basis to protect against the virus that mutates frequently. A new vaccine is developed each year to tackle the most recent strain recorded globally,” said Dr Nada Al Marzouqi, director of Preventive Medicine Department at Mohap.

A quadrivalent vaccine has been developed and is now available at all primary health centres, private clinics and hospitals in the UAE, Dr Al Marzouqi added. “However, it will not be available at dedicated Covid-19 treatment centres.”

saman@khaleejtimes.com