Flu season in UAE: How to avoid catching the viral infection

Flu season in UAE: How to avoid catching the viral infection

Doctors explain how to protect yourself from falling ill during the winter months

Published: Sat 7 Jan 2023, 4:38 PM

As temperatures drop, and families return from the festive break to resume their normal routine, there is an increased chance of either spreading or contracting a winter respiratory illness like influenza, more commonly known as the flu.

Doctors speaking to Khaleej Times explained the causes, types, high-risk groups, tips to prevent getting infected and more.

Influenza is a viral infection that affects the upper respiratory system, which includes the nose, throat and lungs. In most cases, while the illness is not serious, and patients are able to recover without any medical intervention, there are some age groups who are more at risk of developing serious complications. In patients who are likely to develop a serious infection, the illness has the potential of becoming life-threatening, therefore precautionary measures and strategies are critical when it comes to protecting vulnerable members of society.

There are three common influenza strains that infect humans, the others are only transmitted among animals. The culprits behind the uptick of seasonal influenza are influenza A and influenza B. These strains infect humans and cause the spread of the virus during winter, while infections