The UAE government has launched the National Seasonal Flu Awareness Campaign which will run until the end of the year.
With the theme “Protecting yourself… protects your community”, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) said the campaign seeks to raise community awareness and enhance prevention to reduce infection in the country.
The campaign also aims to encourage individuals to get the seasonal flu vaccine, authorities said.
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“The annual seasonal flu awareness campaign is one of the most important events MoHAP is keen to organize in order to develop the health system’s response to respiratory diseases, strengthen surveillance mechanisms, and improve the results of the strategic indicator of the vaccination coverage rate in accordance with international standards,” Dr. Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Public Health Sector, said.
Al Rand added that the campaign also aims to raise community awareness about seasonal influenza and ways to prevent it and provide the vaccine as widely as possible.
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With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, authorities are likewise recommending health workers take the seasonal influenza vaccine, especially those in emergency departments, outpatient clinics, primary healthcare centers, and intensive care units, to reduce the chances of transmitting the disease to patients and family members.
Through the campaign, authorities hope to raise the level of vaccination coverage among health workers and enhance their efficiency with the latest international recommendations and scientific methods, through lectures, workshops, and training. (NM)
