As the school term gets underway across the UAE, families are entering an important period for preparing for seasonal influenza, with the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) and health authorities across the country encouraging timely vaccination ahead of the flu season. School students have also been added to the country’s priority groups for seasonal influenza vaccination for the first time this year, bringing renewed attention to flu prevention as children return to classrooms.
The UAE’s 2026–2027 Awareness Campaign on Influenza and Seasonal Respiratory Diseases is running until March 2027, encouraging vaccination and preventive measures throughout the season. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for people aged six months and above, with priority given to groups at greater risk of complications. The UAE has also expanded vaccination options, with nasal-spray influenza vaccines available for eligible groups in selected healthcare settings.
Families Are Vaccinating Earlier
More UAE residents are opting to get their flu vaccine earlier in the season, driving increased demand for at-home flu vaccinations. Bookings between October and December 2025 were approximately 2.7 times more than the same period in 2024, with demand peaking in October. Almost half of last year’s at-home flu vaccinations were completed by October, while nearly 9 in 10 had been completed by December.
That pattern has continued this year as well. Flu vaccine bookings in September 2026 surpassed the total recorded across the whole of September 2025, indicating continued early demand for vaccination ahead of the flu season.
Dubai Health guidance recommends that annual influenza vaccination should ideally be offered during September or October, although vaccination can continue throughout the season while influenza viruses are circulating and vaccine remains available. As the vaccine takes around two weeks to become effective, the coming weeks offer a timely window for families to consider vaccination before flu activity typically rises.
Alongside the traditional flu injection, an intranasal vaccine offers a needle-free alternative for eligible residents. With children among the groups more vulnerable to complications from influenza, the option may be particularly relevant for families, with MoHAP noting that the nasal-spray vaccine is ideal for children and those with needle anxiety. Justlife is offering the intranasal flu vaccine through its at-home healthcare service this season, making the option available to eligible residents at home.
Dr Jenna Burton, Medical Director at Justlife, said: “With children returning to school, this is an important time for families to think ahead about flu vaccination. Flu can often be mistaken for a common cold, but it can come on suddenly with exhaustion, body aches, chills, fever and cough. Understanding the difference and acting early can be particularly important for children and others who are more vulnerable to complications.”
Recognising Flu Symptoms
While flu symptoms can overlap with those of a cold, influenza tends to develop more suddenly and can be more severe. Symptoms may include fever, cough, chills, exhaustion, and body aches, although they can vary by age and not everyone will develop a high fever.
For children under five, adults over 65, pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions, early medical advice is particularly important as these groups face a greater risk of complications. Antiviral medicines are also most effective when started within the first few days of illness, making early assessment important when symptoms develop.
For families, being familiar with the symptoms of flu can help them recognise when illness may be more than a common cold and know when to seek advice.
