"Flu-less" winter - maintain AC units - Dr. Rashmi Mathai in Khaleej Times

Dr. Rashmi Mathia K.

MBBS, MD(Med), PGDMLE 
Specialist Internal Medicine

Take flu vaccine before winter starts in UAE, advise doctors

Jasmine Al Kuttab/Abu Dhabi/Dubai

Filed on September 22, 2017 | Last updated on September 22, 2017 at 07.40 am

Parents must brace themselves and keep an eye out on their young ones, because flu season has arrived in the UAE, warn doctors

Flu virus can spread by AC

Dr Rashmi Mathia, internal medicine specialist, Universal Hospital, said that non-maintained AC units can also cause the flu to spread at schools, homes, malls, offices, and even hospitals. "Unless you have an isolated AC for the person with the flu - it can spread to other people - if it is a shared AC," she added.

She pointed out that she has also noticed a rise in the number of patients carrying the virus. "If you are sick you should stay in isolation, don't be near people because it can spread through the air."

Dr Mathia stressed that parents must educate their children on how to protect themselves and those around them. "Parents should teach their kids to always cover their mouths and nose when coughing and sneezing and to dispose used tissues immediately - these are common facts, but children might not know them."

She also recommends taking the flu shot each year. "Anyone who is older than six months can take the flu vaccine before the flu season, which begins from September to January."

Dr Mathia said the most high risk people are children, elderly, pregnant women and those suffering from chronic illnesses. "But just because you have taken a flu vaccine a year ago, it doesn't mean it will protect you the following year - because the viruses themselves undergo changes."

Source:

https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/uae-health/Take-flu-vaccine-before-winter-starts-in-UAE-advise-doctors-



Dr. Soniya Mathew on Flu........

Universal Hospital

Published on Feb 4, 2016

Dr. Soniya Mathew, one of the popular General Physicians at Universal Hospital (Abu Dhabi), often gets a lot of patients who complain of Flu. For the benefit of them and anyone else who wants to avoid getting "infected" due to the change in the weather, she talks about Influenza in depth and also how it spreads. The common symptoms affect both adults and children alike. However, the modes of prevention can be various and as simple as maintaining self-hygiene.