The Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) is keen on achieving drug safety and ensuring the availability, effectiveness, high quality and reasonable pricing of drugs and vaccines, said the JFDA General Director, Nizar Mahmoud Mhaidat, on Thursday.

The JFDA registers the seasonal (triple and quadruple) flu vaccine according to global principles that guarantee the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine, taking into account the annual renewal of virus strains, as there are tablets containing the active substance “Oseltamivir” for treating those with influenza, which is disposed of under the supervision of a treating physician.

The flu shot is made available in the Jordanian market at the beginning of October every year.

The price of the vaccine has been reduced by about 50% in 2019, he added.

The vaccine is also imported by drug stores through local agents and distributed to pharmacies across the Kingdom and sold to the citizen at a reasonable price.

Warehouses are obligated to place pricing patches on the vaccine according to the official price approved by the institution.

The reason for the lack of vaccine availability in some pharmacies is due to the lack of imported quantities from some manufacturers, due to the increase in demand amid the coronavirus crisis.

It is recommended that patients who get the flu stay at home to reduce the risk of infecting others.

Annual influenza vaccines should be taken by high-risk groups including pregnant women, children between the ages of six months and five years, elderly individuals who are over the age of 65, individuals with chronic medical conditions and health care providers, as recommended by the World Health Organisation.

It is important to follow personal preventive measures such as regular hand washing, proper hand drying, covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, using and disposing of tissues properly, isolation of those who feel unwell, avoiding close contact with sick people, and  avoid touching the eyes, nose, and mouth, said Mahidat.