Guides / Health / Health card & health centres

Flu jabs and vaccines for adults in Qatar: what's free and where to get them

How to get the free yearly flu jab in Qatar, plus the adult vaccines many people don't know about: shingles from age 50, RSV for over-60s and pregnant women, pneumococcal, tetanus boosters and travel vaccines. Covers who qualifies, where to go without an appointment and how to keep your record.

Last reviewed: 13 October 2026

Flu jab cost
Free at PHCC, HMC and 50+ private facilities (Oct 2026 to Mar 2027)
Appointment
Not needed for the flu or shingles vaccine at PHCC health centres
Best time
October or November; protection builds in about 2 weeks
Help
16000 (health line) or 107 (PHCC)

Vaccines are not only for children. Qatar's Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) runs a yearly seasonal flu campaign, free at all Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) health centres, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) facilities and more than 50 private healthcare facilities; the 2026 to 2027 campaign started in early October and runs until March 2027. Adults can also get other vaccines through the national programme, including a two-dose shingles vaccine for people aged 50 and over, an RSV vaccine for over-60s and pregnant women, and pneumococcal vaccines for older adults. This guide is for any adult resident, especially new arrivals, people over 50, pregnant women and anyone with a long-term condition. The order is simple: make sure your health registration is active, get the flu jab in October or November, ask your health centre which other vaccines fit your age and health, and plan travel vaccines weeks before you fly.

Before you start

  • Your valid Qatar ID (QID); since April 2026 the QID is shown instead of a printed health card
  • An active PHCC health registration (renewed yearly), and the name of the health centre you are assigned to
  • A list of your long-term conditions (diabetes, asthma, heart, lung or kidney disease) and any medicines that weaken the immune system
  • Any vaccination records from your home country, or photos of them, so the doctor can see what you already had
  • If pregnant: how many weeks along you are, and your antenatal notes
  • Details of any past severe reaction to a vaccine or serious allergy
  • For travel: your destination, travel dates and, for Hajj or Umrah, your booking dates
  • Your insurance card if you plan to use a private clinic for vaccines outside the campaign

Step by step

  1. Make sure your health registration is active

    PHCC health centres serve patients who are registered with them, so check your health registration has not expired before you go. Every resident, adult or child, needs it, and for expats it costs QAR 100 a year. You no longer get a printed health card: since April 2026 you simply show your QID. If your registration has lapsed, renew it in the Nar'aakom app or at the centre's reception first, which usually takes minutes if your QID is valid.

    Read guide: Get your health card (now linked to your QID) →

  2. Get the flu jab every autumn

    The flu virus changes every year, and the World Health Organization updates the vaccine each season to match it, so last year's jab does not protect you this winter. MOPH recommends the flu vaccine for everyone aged 6 months and over, and the 2026 to 2027 campaign runs until March 2027. Go in October or November if you can, because it takes about two weeks for protection to build and flu usually peaks in winter. The campaign gives priority to people aged 50 and over, pregnant women, healthcare workers, young children and anyone with a chronic disease such as diabetes or asthma, but the vaccine is free for everyone at participating facilities.

  3. Walk in to a PHCC health centre

    All 31 PHCC health centres give the flu vaccine free of charge, and MOPH says eligible people can go to any centre without an appointment; fast-track arrangements are in place to cut waiting time. Tell reception you are there for the flu vaccine and show your QID. A nurse will ask a few health questions, give the injection in your upper arm and record it in your electronic file. The whole visit is often short, but evenings and the first weeks of the campaign can be busier.

  4. Or use HMC, a private clinic or your workplace

    The flu vaccine is also free at HMC health facilities and at more than 50 private healthcare facilities taking part in the national campaign. In past seasons, facilities run by the Ministries of Interior and Defence and by QatarEnergy also vaccinated their own staff, and some large employers bring a vaccination team on site, so ask your HR department. Not every private clinic is part of the campaign, so before you go, call the clinic or the health line on 16000 and ask whether the jab is free there. If a clinic charges you, ask whether it is giving a campaign vaccine or a separate private one.

  5. Know what to expect after the jab

    A sore arm, mild tiredness or a slight temperature for a day or two are common and soon pass. The injected flu vaccine cannot give you flu, but you can still catch other winter viruses, so a cold soon after is not a sign that it failed. Tell the nurse before the injection if you have a high fever that day, are pregnant, or have ever had a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine. If you develop breathing difficulty or swelling of the face after any vaccine, call 999 straight away.

    Read guide: Emergencies in Qatar: who to call and where to go →

  6. Over 50? Ask for the shingles vaccine

    Shingles is a painful rash caused when the chickenpox virus, which stays in the body for life, wakes up again; it becomes more common and more severe with age. In September 2025 MOPH added a shingles vaccine to the national immunisation programme for adults aged 50 and over, and for adults aged 19 and over with immune-related conditions or chronic illnesses. It is given at all PHCC health centres without an appointment and was announced as free of charge. You need two doses, two to six months apart, so ask the nurse to note when your second dose is due and set a reminder.

  7. Check if the RSV vaccine is for you

    RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) usually causes a cold, but it can lead to serious chest infections in older people and young babies. In January 2026 MOPH urged these groups to get the RSV vaccine: adults aged 60 and over, adults aged 18 to 59 with chronic heart, lung, kidney disease or diabetes, people with a weakened immune system, and pregnant women at 28 to 36 weeks, which protects the baby after birth. MOPH says it is available at HMC hospitals and primary health care centres and gives strong protection for up to two years. Ask your family doctor whether you qualify and whether you need an appointment.

  8. Ask about pneumococcal and other vaccines

    Pneumococcal vaccines protect against bacteria that cause pneumonia, blood infections and meningitis. HMC's healthy-ageing advice recommends them, along with the flu jab, for people aged 60 and over, and doctors also advise them for some younger adults with long-term illnesses. PHCC's programme also includes adult vaccines such as hepatitis B, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), tetanus-containing boosters and COVID-19. Which ones you need depends on your age, health, job and what you had before, so book a visit with your family doctor at your health centre (call 107 or use Nar'aakom) and bring any old records.

  9. Pregnant? Protect yourself and the baby

    Pregnant women are a priority group for the free flu vaccine, because flu can be more serious in pregnancy and the vaccine also helps protect the newborn in the first months of life. The RSV vaccine is recommended between 28 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. Ask your antenatal clinic at your health centre or hospital which vaccines it offers and when, and make sure each one is written in your antenatal notes. Do not get any vaccine during pregnancy without telling the nurse you are pregnant.

    Read guide: Having a baby in Qatar: antenatal care, hospitals and costs →

  10. Plan travel and pilgrimage vaccines early

    PHCC gives vaccines for travellers and for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims in line with the national programme. For Hajj and Umrah, Saudi Arabia requires the meningococcal ACYW (meningitis) vaccine at least 10 days before travel; the full rules are in our Hajj and Umrah guides. For trips to parts of Africa, South Asia or South America, see a doctor 4 to 6 weeks before you fly, because some vaccines need more than one dose. HMC's Travel Clinic at the Communicable Disease Center gives travel advice and vaccines by appointment (call 4025 4003) and can issue the yellow international certificate needed for yellow fever.

    Read guide: Umrah from Qatar: visas, Nusuk permits and travelling by road or air →

  11. Keep a record of every dose

    Doses given at PHCC are saved in your electronic file, but you will often need proof yourself, for a new job, a visa, study abroad or a doctor back home. Ask the nurse to write each vaccine in a vaccination card or print your vaccination record, and take a photo of it. If you had a vaccine at a private clinic, keep its record and tell your PHCC doctor at your next visit so your file stays complete. Keep the yellow card from a travel clinic with your passport.

What it costs

Seasonal flu vaccine at PHCC, HMC and participating private facilities (2026 to 2027 campaign)Free
Shingles vaccine at PHCC for eligible adults (as announced by MOPH, Sep 2025)Free
PHCC health registration, expatriate resident (per year)QAR 100
PHCC health registration, domestic worker or GCC national resident (per year)QAR 50

Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.

Common mistakes

  • Thinking last year's flu jab still protects you. The vaccine is updated every season, so you need a new dose each autumn.
  • Waiting until December or January, when flu is already spreading. Go in October or November; protection takes about two weeks.
  • Turning up at a PHCC centre with an expired health registration. Renew it first in Nar'aakom or at reception.
  • Getting only the first shingles dose. The course is two doses, two to six months apart, and you need both for full protection.
  • Assuming every private clinic gives the flu jab free. Only facilities in the campaign do; call ahead or ask 16000.
  • Leaving travel vaccines to the last week. Some need several doses, and the Hajj and Umrah meningitis vaccine must be given at least 10 days before travel.
  • Not keeping proof. Employers, visa offices and doctors abroad may ask for dates and vaccine names you can no longer find.

Questions people ask

Is the flu vaccine really free for expats in Qatar?

Yes. MOPH says the seasonal flu vaccine is free of charge at PHCC health centres, HMC facilities and more than 50 participating private facilities for the 2026 to 2027 season. At PHCC you need an active health registration, which costs expats QAR 100 a year. Private clinics outside the campaign may charge, so ask first.

Do I need an appointment for the flu jab?

Not at PHCC. MOPH says eligible people can go to any PHCC health centre without an appointment, and fast-track arrangements are in place. HMC and private facilities may work differently, so check with them before you go.

I'm young and healthy. Should I still get it?

MOPH recommends the flu vaccine for everyone aged 6 months and over. Priority groups are people over 50, pregnant women, healthcare workers, young children and people with chronic illnesses, but healthy adults also catch and spread flu. Getting vaccinated also protects older relatives and babies at home.

Can I get the flu jab at a pharmacy or at work?

The 2026 campaign announcements list PHCC centres, HMC facilities and more than 50 private healthcare facilities; pharmacies are not mentioned. Some employers and government bodies vaccinate their own staff, so ask your HR or company clinic. Otherwise, walk in to any PHCC centre.

I'm 52. Can I get the shingles vaccine free?

Yes, adults aged 50 and over are eligible under the national programme, and so are adults aged 19 and over with immune-related conditions or chronic illnesses. Go to any PHCC health centre; no appointment is needed. Remember the second dose two to six months later.

Is it safe to have the flu jab while pregnant?

MOPH lists pregnant women as a priority group for the flu vaccine, and it can be given at any stage of pregnancy. It also helps protect your baby in the first months after birth. Tell the nurse you are pregnant, and ask your antenatal clinic about the RSV vaccine at 28 to 36 weeks.

Can I get the flu jab and another vaccine on the same day?

Often yes, but it depends on the vaccines, so ask the nurse or doctor on the day. If you are due both the flu and shingles vaccines, mention both at reception and let the clinical team decide.

Where do I get the vaccines for Hajj or Umrah?

PHCC health centres give the vaccines needed for Hajj and Umrah, including the meningococcal ACYW vaccine, which must be given at least 10 days before travel. The full requirements change each season, so check our Hajj and Umrah guides and MOPH's announcement before you book.

Official sources

Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.

Related guides

Everyday lifeGet your health card (now linked to your QID)HealthChild vaccinations in Qatar: schedule, clinics and school certificatesDaily lifeHajj from Qatar: registration, eligibility and licensed campaignsDaily lifeUmrah from Qatar: visas, Nusuk permits and travelling by road or airWorkWorking in Qatar after 60: renewals, approvals and your optionsHealthHaving a baby in Qatar: antenatal care, hospitals and costsHealthHealth insurance in Qatar: what residents and visitors need