Hong Kong launches flu vaccination programme

To prevent the spread of flu in the coming peak season, it is important that the public and private sectors work together to provide influenza vaccinations to members of the public.

The remark was made by the Hong Kong's Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow today (November 8) when he visited an elderly home in North Point to see for himself the implementation of the Government Influenza Vaccination Programme(GIVP).

Dr Chow said the GIVP was developed in accordance with recommendations of the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases of the Centre for Health Protection.

The programme was tailor-made for those with special high risk and needy who were less likely to access the private medical sector for vaccination, Dr Chow said.

"It is estimated that 200 000 to 250 000 persons could be covered under the GIVP this year," Dr Chow said, adding: "the government had contacted the vaccine manufacturer concerned to ensure that supplies for Hong Kong would not be interrupted by overseas factors," he said.

Dr Chow said the government has received positive support from the private medical sector as well as the non-governmental organizations (NGO) to provide vaccination services to people who are not covered by the GIVP.

"Many NGOs are providing the vaccine on a non-profit making basis," he said.

The majority of the vaccines under the GIVP will be given this month and in December to give sufficient time for the target groups to build up immunity against influenza before the usual seasonal peak around January to March.

The GIVP aims at three groups of people. The first category includes six groups of people who are at higher risk of morbidity and mortality due to influenza infection:

• Elderly persons living in Residential Care Home
• Long-stay residents of Institutions for the Disabled
• In-patients of infirmary psycho-geriatric, mentally ill and mentally handicapped units/wards, and hospitalized patients with chronic diseases under Hospital Authority
• Elderly patients over 65 with chronic diseases attending public clinics
• Paediatric in-and out-patients of Hospital Authority with chronic diseases or long term aspirin
• Persons with chronic diseases attending public clinics who are recipients of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance.

The second category covers health care staff of Hospital Authority and Department of Health, in order to reduce the risk of transmitting influenza to patients who are at high risk of complications from influenza.

The third category comprises poultry workers and staff who may be involved in poultry culling operations. This is to minimize the chance of co-infection of avian and human influenza, in view of the avian influenza situation in neighboring countries.