For citizens' convenience, health and safety, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will start giving seasonal influenza vaccine to beneficiaries at their homes or wherever they are, in collaboration with "Careem" company, from Tuesday Rabie Al-Awal 10th – 16th, 1439H., corresponding to November 28th – December 4th, 2017.
The service covers a number of Kingdom's cities and provinces, including: Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Makkah, Qassim, Jazan, Abha, Hail, Tabuk and Madinah. MOH aims to cover the largest possible number of service seekers, calling on community members to take the initiative to get influenza vaccine at primary healthcare centers.
According to MOH, the most vulnerable groups are: age group between 6-9 months, those above 60 years, patients with chronic diseases particularly cardiac, lung, diabetes and kidney patients, as well as pregnant women; especially those expecting before end of April 2018. The vaccines are available at primary healthcare centers and may be requested via #immunization_service – in Arabic #خدمة_تطعيم.
MOH has also pointed out that the vaccine is given to prevent influenza and its complications, and warned not to give it to children under the age of 6 months. The vaccine is given at the onset of winter. The service may be requested via Careem App. for smart phones, by selecting immunization service. One of the serval specially-designed vehicles with health staff will visit the requester's home to vaccinate all members of family against influenza, from 4pm to 10pm.