Riyadh, December 10, 2022, SPA – The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health Dr. Mohammed Al-Abdulaali, reiterated that the most effective way to confront the influenza virus is to take the vaccine, stressing that the vaccine is seasonal and safe and has been taken for decades, and its effect is very high, and its effectiveness reaches 80% and limits entry to intensive care units, and it can be obtained and benefited from, by booking through the Sehhaty application. Dr. Al-Abdulaali said in a live broadcast via the Ministry's account on Twitter that the Ministry of Health has registered an increase in influenza cases during this season, pointing out that the flu may cause severe complications and lead to death, due to negligence in preventive methods, pointing to the possibility of deterioration of the health condition, especially among people who are considered of the high-risk categories. He also pointed out that there are millions of cases that enter intensive care units around the world, and hundreds of thousands die as a result of infection with influenza, stressing that vaccination is given to the groups most vulnerable to infection, namely children under the age of five years, pregnant women, and those with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, chest disease (asthma), heart disease, and the elderly. The Spokesperson added, recently, the activity of seasonal influenza is stronger than in the past two years, and there has been an increase in the number of emergency visits and an increase in hypnotic cases in intensive care, calling on everyone to adhere to preventive health behaviors such as avoiding crowded places, washing hands thoroughly, avoiding direct contact with the eyes and mouth, and using tissues when sneezing or coughing, making sure the place is clean, and committing to wearing a mask, which is one of the most important ways to prevent disease. He stated that the symptoms that appear on the infected person with seasonal influenza are shivering and sweating, a temperature rise of more than 38 degrees, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, persistent cough, dryness, and runny nose. Dr. Al-Abdulaali stressed that the Ministry, during the current stage, is closely following all the variables that occur on the Coronavirus, and the situation is passing through a stage of follow-up, and control, thanks to the efforts of everyone and awareness in receiving vaccines and achieving distinct societal immunity, which made us at the forefront of countries and the safest, denying rumors spread by some people that the Corona vaccine has caused low immunity and that the body is exposed to other respiratory viruses, as this has absolutely nothing to do with the truth, rather, it is an immune balance that the body benefits from, and there is no relationship to these rumors. Dr. Al-Abdulaali also alerted everyone to take preventive measures during the rainy weather conditions and to take into account health aspects, especially people with respiratory diseases such as asthma patients, calling on everyone to communicate with the Ministry’s official platforms and take the correct health facts and information through the official channels only and adhere to medical instructions and recommendations. --SPA 20:21 LOCAL TIME 17:21 GMT 0021 www.spa.gov.sa/w1824989