********************************************************
A spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) announced today (June 21) that the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SC) under the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the DH has updated its recommendations on the use of seasonal influenza vaccine for the coming influenza season (2011/12).
As serious influenza infection can occur even in healthy individuals and influenza vaccines are safe and effective, all members of the public are encouraged to consult their family doctors to receive seasonal influenza vaccination for personal protection.
Priority target groups for 2011/12 will include those recommended in the 2010/11 seasons, as well as people aged 50 to 64 and obese individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater.
These recommendations are made based on updated scientific observations in the 2010/11 winter influenza season.
The nine priority target groups recommended for seasonal influenza vaccination in the 2011/12 season are:
1) elderly persons living in residential care homes;
2) long-stay residents of institutions for the disabled;
3) persons aged 50 years or above;
4) persons with chronic medical problems including obesity (BMI of 30 or greater)
5) health care workers;
6) children aged 6 months to 5 years;
7) pregnant women;
8) poultry workers; and
9) pig farmers and pig-slaughtering industry personnel.
The Government Vaccination Programme (GVP) and Vaccination Subsidy Scheme 2011/12 will continue to provide free and subsidised vaccination respectively to the same target groups as last year. In addition, recipients of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance who fall between the age of 50 to 64 years or who are obese (BMI of 30 or greater) are entitled to free vaccination under GVP.
The full version of the SC's recommendation has been uploaded to the CHP website¡]www.chp.gov.hk¡^today.
Ends/Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:04
NNNN
