Table 1.

Positioning and recommendations on prevention and management strategies for respiratory infections in the UAE.

Prevalence	Influenza and COVID-19 are currently considered more critical to manage than pneumococcal disease and RSV The prevalence of influenza and RSV may be shifting, with outbreaks noted in the off-season
Key populations considered at high risk for respiratory infections	Respiratory infections are a key concern in the UAE for:  Individuals with uncontrolled cardio-metabolic-renal diseases  Pediatric patients  Patients with cancer  Those who are unvaccinated
Effective management of respiratory infections	Management of respiratory infections involves:  Referring to discipline-specific guidelines  Understanding the available vaccines and antiviral treatment options  Adhering to varying vaccine schedules  Awareness of differing durations of immunity provided by vaccines Patients at high risk should be tested upon presentation with symptoms of any respiratory infection Patients should be encouraged to get tested as soon as symptoms of a respiratory infection are noticed
Educational needs of patients and healthcare professionals	Educating patients at high risk and their families/caregivers about the impact of respiratory infections, the importance of vaccines for prevention, and the management of COVID-19 with antiviral treatments is crucial Addressing the knowledge gap among healthcare professionals regarding available vaccines and antiviral treatments is imperative to ensure best-practice patient care Tackling vaccine hesitancy among both patients and healthcare professionals is crucial to improving vaccination rates, enhancing public health outcomes, and building trust in medical interventions post pandemic
Future initiatives	Healthcare professionals can play an important role in educating the public and dispelling myths about COVID-19 and other respiratory infections It is recommended to integrate clinical preventative services, such as vaccines, prophylaxis, and patient counselling, into the clinical management guidelines for chronic disease The performance of each facility should be monitored using clear key performance indicators, with a particular emphasis on vaccination coverage for patients at high risk

RSV respiratory syncytial virus, UAE United Arab Emirates