Health experts warn flu season may start early; Qatar launches flu vaccine campaign

Doha: The Ministry of Public Health, Hamad Medical Corporation and Primary Health Care Corporation have announced that the annual seasonal influenza vaccination campaign will begin today, Wednesday,  September 1, with free flu vaccines available at all primary health centers, HMC outpatient clinics and at more than 45 private and semi-private clinics and hospitals across Qatar.

The health sector has launched the campaign early this year as experts warn that the flu season may start earlier than usual this year.  Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Chair of the National Health Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of the Infectious Diseases Division at HMC said: “We usually launch the seasonal influenza campaign at the end of September each year, but because we are already seeing a significant number of people presenting at medical facilities with the flu, we have decided to take a proactive approach and commence the campaign several weeks earlier.”