Labourers urged to take up flu vaccine in early winter health campaign

Schools and health workers also targeted in national immunisation programme

A media representative is vaccinated at the launch of the seasonal flu vaccination campaign at the Museum of the Future in Dubai. Ahmed Ramzan for The National

Labourers' camps are being targeted in the new flu vaccination programme that has been brought forward by weeks in an attempt to get ahead of infections before they strike.

At a campaign launch in Dubai, Ministry of Health officials urged vulnerable groups to get vaccinated against infectious disease ahead of winter, when respiratory diseases like influenza are most common. The campaign prioritises pregnant women, individuals aged 50 and above, those with chronic diseases, children under five, and healthcare workers who can get a flu vaccine for free.

Low income workers will also be offered the vaccine free of charge, as outreach work gets under way at labour camps across the country.

Globally, about 700,000 people on average die from flu or related complications each year.

An updated vaccine to suit the most recent strain of the influenza virus will be available at hundreds of health clinics and pharmacies around the country in a campaign that will run until March.

“The vaccination will widely be available in governmental clinics, and there is a focus on labourers for this year, as they are considered a vulnerable group in Dubai and in other emirates,” said Dr Abdullah Al Rasasi, head of preventive medicine department at Dubai Health Authority.

“We will mobilise our healthcare teams to visit those camps, to offer general health promotion and vaccinations for this vulnerable group.

“There is a cost, but the best investment you can do for yourself and your family is to have the new vaccine. It's worth it every time you pay for it, and it is very affordable.”

Costs

A flu vaccine may not be covered by health insurance, with costs varying from Dh50 ($13.6) to Dh150, dependent on which clinic provides the service. Healthcare workers across the country are also being strongly encouraged to take the latest flu vaccine.

They are considered at high risk due to greater exposure to sickness, and are also mostly working with vulnerable people recovering from illness, whose health could be further compromised by a bout of flu.

At Al Jalila Children’s Hospital in Dubai, more than 70 per cent of staff took the vaccine in 2023-24, officials said, well above the international average coverage rate of around 40 per cent.

Vaccine hesitancy among those unsure of the safety of taking a jab is also being tackled by health authorities, with education programmes planned throughout the winter.

“Vaccine hesitancy is a global concern,” said Dr Laila Aljasmi, head of communicable disease and immunisation section at the Public Health Sector. “Thankfully, here in the UAE every year we are noting that it's decreasing because of the awareness activities we are doing every year – especially for the influenza vaccine.

“There is demand for the vaccine, but like elsewhere, if there is a small group of people who are hesitant, we look to educate them and provide them with the awareness and value of accepting the vaccine.”

Aside from direct health impact, flu generates considerable other costs. Economic losses resulting from missed workdays due to associated illness, and decreased productivity are also a considerable drain on finances.

In the UK, NHS flu vaccinations are thought to avert up to 626,000 cases in England each year, with human capital costs of the virus reaching up to £270 million a year, according to research by the International Longevity Centre – UK think tank.

“We are being more proactive the year, than in previous campaigns,” said Dr Hussain Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector.

“Last year, we started our campaign in October and this year we said no, we should start from September, as this is the season and the beginning of school. It is important we bring that protection into labour camps also, as these labour camps are working within the community and an important part of that.

“They live together, but they also go to the mall and mix with everyone so we don't want the infection to spread around more people. We want to protect everybody, we don't want to leave anybody behind.”

Mpox campaign

While officials would not comment on the global Mpox outbreak – which was last month declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organisation – they said a health information campaign on the virus was planned.

A new clade of Mpox has spread rapidly around Central and Eastern Africa. While no cases of the variant have been reported in the UAE, precautions are being taken around the world with tens of thousands of vaccines being delivered to affected areas with low vaccination rates.

Dr Al Rand said plans were under way to deliver a public health campaign to help prevent further infections of the Mpox virus, that is usually passed on by direct physical human contact or with infected animals.

“Protection [against Mpox] is important, so we concentrate on proactive protection, and vaccines make that easy,” he said. “A vaccine is available, so people can go and take it easily, and that's the same as [with] influenza.”