The Ministry affirmed the continuation of its recommendation to take the seasonal influenza vaccine for the groups most vulnerable to infection and its complications.
Muscat: The Ministry of Health has confirmed that it is continuing its efforts to take the necessary surveillance and prevention measures for seasonal influenza throughout the year, the Oman News Agency (ONA), said.
A statement issued online by the ONA said, “The Ministry of Health, represented by the Directorate General for Disease Surveillance and Control, confirmed that it continues to take the necessary surveillance and prevention measures for seasonal influenza throughout the year, and to provide specialists and the public with developments.”
The Ministry stressed the importance of taking all health and preventive measures to avoid contracting the disease by covering the mouth and nose when coughing with an elbow or tissue, washing hands regularly, avoiding shaking hands and hugging infected persons, ensuring proper ventilation and avoiding crowded places.
The Ministry affirmed the continuation of its recommendation to take the seasonal influenza vaccine for the groups most vulnerable to infection and its complications, which is provided to health care workers, pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy, the elderly, and patients with chronic conditions such as respiratory and heart diseases, kidney and liver disorders, and other disorders, neurological, hematological and metabolic diseases such as diabetes, especially irregular.
The ministry indicated that the vaccine includes immunodeficiency patients such as those with HIV and those who take immunosuppressive drugs, in addition to pilgrims. The ministry also explained that it provides the vaccine in private institutions for all other groups, including children.
The Ministry of Health stated that the Sultanate of Oman in the 2019 season from July 2018 to June 2019 recorded 1,284 laboratory cases with 29 deaths recorded, explaining that the flu season may differ from one country to another and from one season to another in the same country. Influenza infection spreads through drops when coughing or sneezing and touching contaminated surfaces.
The Ministry indicated that the most common symptoms of influenza are fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, with body and muscle pain and headache, while the patient’s condition may deteriorate, especially in the most vulnerable groups, which may cause their death.
The Ministry of Health clarified that the Sultanate of Oman being one of the semi-tropical countries, usually continues to see seasonal influenza viruses throughout the year, however, its activity begins in September and can continue until May, reaching its maximum in December.
The Ministry also stated that despite the noticeable decrease in the number of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases recorded during the 2019-2020 season, which is attributed to many of the precautionary measures taken by the countries of the world to address the COVID-19 pandemic, including partial and general closure, suspension of school, work and travel, and the continued wearing of the masks and other preventive measures. Many countries in the world began to record a steady increase in cases of acute respiratory infections in general and laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza with the beginning of the 2020-2021 season, as the number of cases registered in the Sultanate reached 177 cases and two deaths.
The Ministry of Health added that, in conjunction with the noticeable decrease in the rate of infections with COVID-19 disease, some countries have begun to open activities and schools and cancel recommendations for wearing a masks and distancing, which may lead to a rapid transmission of infection between groups of society and pose a serious risk to the groups most vulnerable to complications and the subsequent burden on the health care systems in its various institutions.
The Ministry of Health confirmed that the influenza vaccine is the best tool available at the present time to prevent influenza and reduce the risk of serious complications, and the effectiveness of the vaccine may vary from year to year, depending on the types of influenza viruses circulating and their conformity with the vaccine, and the effectiveness of the vaccine depends on the age of the person who received the vaccination and his health condition.
The Ministry explained that, on average, the vaccine protects against approximately 60 per cent of infections in healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 64 years, and influenza vaccines become effective about 14 days after vaccination. It is noteworthy that the Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Health, has been working hard over the years to achieve high rates in the target groups for immunisation against influenza. The coverage rate for pregnant women increased from 60 per cent in 2016 to 96 per cent in 2020, and for the elderly from 60 per cent in 2013 to 95 per cent in 2020.
