UAE free flu vaccine for school students: Where and how to get it

UAE health authorities are rolling out a free flu vaccine for school students, Gulf News reported. Students have been officially added to the country's list of high-risk groups for the first time.

Is the flu vaccine free for students in the UAE?

Yes. School students across the UAE can now get the flu vaccine free of charge, either at school or through designated health facilities. The move follows the Ministry of Health and Prevention's 2026-2027 flu awareness campaign, which expanded the high-risk priority list from five groups to seven, adding students and Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.

Dr. Shamsa Majid Lootah, director of the Public Health Department at Emirates Health Services (EHS), said students carry outsized importance for community protection. "School students play a big part in our communities. By protecting them, we are protecting everyone else too, the elderly at home, the wider household," she said.

Where can students get the free flu vaccine at school?

EHS, the federal authority responsible for public healthcare in the five Northern Emirates of Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, is vaccinating students free of charge at school this year. It is extending the same free cover to teachers and other school staff.

"This is for the entire school community. This is under EHS from this year," Dr. Shamsa said. She added that the scheme also extends to university students through campuses that run their own clinics.

She said private school communities are being included as well, and authorities are not waiting for insurance coverage before rolling out the vaccine. Dr. Shamsa said the free vaccine is not restricted by nationality or residency status. "It's for citizens, for residents, for everyone," she said.

Is a nasal spray flu vaccine available in the UAE?

A nasal spray vaccine is also in the pipeline through EHS for students wary of needles. Dr. Shamsa confirmed the nasal spray will be given free of charge once available, particularly for students and other high-risk groups.

In Abu Dhabi, the Department of Health has already introduced the nasal vaccine for this season. Dr. Mahra Al Hosani, director of Surveillance and Outbreak Response at the department, said the nasal flu vaccine is available in Abu Dhabi this season.

She said it is not given over the counter because it is specified for certain age groups and requires an assessment before use. It is available free of cost for eligible groups at selected healthcare facilities across Abu Dhabi.

Who qualifies for the free flu vaccine in Abu Dhabi?

The flu vaccine in Abu Dhabi is free for all Thiqa health insurance holders, as well as for non-Thiqa holders considered at high risk of infection. According to Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), free vaccination covers adults above 50, children under five, and students aged five to 18.

It also extends to people of determination, pregnant women, smokers, and Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Coverage includes residents with a body mass index of 40 or above, and those with chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic liver disease, kidney failure and chronic lung disease including asthma.

The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre is also supplying free flu vaccines to private establishments across the emirate.

How is Dubai rolling out the flu vaccine for students?

In Dubai, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is taking a different approach. Dr. Hana M Saleh Salama, senior specialist public health registrar at DHA's Communicable Diseases Prevention Department, said the authority is negotiating with insurers to allow the vaccine to be administered directly inside schools.

"Insurers don't mind covering the service at healthcare facility, but they don't want the service moved to schools. This is what we're working on," she said. She said the benefits outweigh the logistics involved.

"It will decrease absence days for students, for staff, for the medical team, the infection spread will be less. Whatever is gained from the vaccine will be much more than the cost of distributing the service here and there," she said.

Any school-level rollout will be communicated through Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), since DHA cannot approach schools directly. The nasal vaccine is already available in Dubai, and DHA is looking at ways to expand its use among children.

The nasal vaccine cannot be bought over the counter in Dubai. "Parents have to take the child to a facility, and the physician there has to prescribe it," Dr. Hana said, describing the spray as a far less painful option than an injection for younger children.

Is the flu vaccine mandatory for UAE students?

Officials stressed that the vaccine remains voluntary for students. They are actively encouraging uptake amid concerns over classroom absenteeism and the risk of students carrying the virus home to vulnerable relatives.

"This is voluntary. We are encouraging it, not making it mandatory," Dr. Hana said. She urged people to consider vulnerable relatives at home, including newborns, elderly parents or pregnant family members, when deciding whether to get vaccinated.