MIMS Education
The Impact of Influenza in High-Risk Groups & The Value of Vaccination
Cat 3B: 1 Point | 
1 hour | 
01 Jul 2022
Overview
Course overview
The global threat of respiratory viruses has been underscored by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The human influenza (‘the flu’) is a highly infectious respiratory viral illness affecting approximately 5% to 20% of the global population annually. The World Health Organization estimates that about 650,000 people worldwide die from seasonal flu each year.
This online course reviews the basic virology of influenza and how to differentiate it from other respiratory illnesses such as the common cold. Important variations in the patterns of peak influenza activity across the globe are also presented. The clinical course of influenza, including complications among high-risk groups will be reviewed. Global and local guidelines on influenza immunization will be presented, including the latest recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the Ministry of Health Singapore. Finally, the importance of influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic will be discussed.
Learning Objective
- Differentiate influenza epidemiology between the tropics and other regions of the world
- Compare local and international guidelines on influenza vaccination
- Identify groups at most risk for influenza and the impact of vaccination
- Discuss the importance of influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic
Short bio of Reviewer
 | DR. LEONG HOE NAM, MBBS (S’pore) MRCP (UK) MMed (Intern Med, S’pore) FAMS (Infect Dis) Senior Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician Rophi Clinic, Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Singapore Visiting Consultant, National Cancer Centre Singapore Visiting Consultant, Dover Park Hospice, Singapore |
Dr Leong Hoe Nam is an Infectious Diseases Physician.
Dr Leong was previously a consultant in the Department of Infectious Disease in Singapore General Hospital (SGH). Having left SGH, he continued his practice in Infectious Diseases at the private Raffles Hospital before setting up his own clinic at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital.
He had first-hand experience in managing outbreak situations including SARS and H1N1 pandemic infection. He has also published several research papers on virology.
Dr Leong has been frequently interviewed by live tv, radio presenters and various print journalists. He is frequently sought for an opinion on various infectious diseases.
Dr Leong was a clinical tutor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. He was a faculty member at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and still maintains his adjunct position as assistant professor while working at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital. He remains a visiting consultant at the National Cancer Centre Singapore and the Dover Park Hospice Hospital.
1 CME Point Available
- Score at least 80% in the multiple-choice quiz.
- Download a certificate upon successful completion of the quiz. Please use the information on the certificate to claim your CME point.
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