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Children over the age of 6 months and less than 6 years old as well as elderly people aged 65 years or above will be eligible to receive subsidised vaccinations from enrolled private doctors participating in the Government's vaccination subsidy schemes starting from September 26, 2011.
Speaking at a press conference today (September 12), the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH), Dr Thomas Tsang, said the starting date for this year's vaccination subsidy schemes has been advanced to September 26 to enable eligible persons to receive seasonal influenza vaccinations more conveniently from private doctors before the expected arrival of the winter flu season in the first quarter of 2012.
The subsidy schemes are part of the Government's Childhood Influenza Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (CIVSS) and Elderly Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (EVSS) for 2011-12 respectively.
Under the CIVSS, children over the age of 6 months and less than 6 years old are each entitled to a subsidy of $80 for each dose of seasonal influenza vaccine received from enrolled private doctors, up to a maximum of two doses per person.
As for the EVSS, elderly people aged 65 or above will be entitled to an $80 subsidy for each dose of influenza vaccine and $140 for each dose of pneumococcal vaccine. An extra $50 will be subsidised as the injection cost per dose received from private doctors, i.e. $130 for each influenza vaccination and $190 for each pneumococcal vaccination.
More than 1,500 private doctors are participating in the vaccination subsidy schemes. Private medical doctors who have enrolled in the schemes will display the scheme logos and price posters at their clinics for recognition. In addition, information about participating doctors and the fees that they charge will be posted on the CHP website, www.chp.gov.hk.
A telephone hotline (2125 2125) has been set up to answer public enquiries relating to the vaccination subsidy programmes during office hours. Members of the public may also obtain relevant information from the CHP website.
From November 1, 2011, the Government Vaccination Programme will provide free influenza vaccinations to eligible groups in public hospitals and clinics as well as elderly homes. The arrangement is the same as last year's. Eligible groups include:
* Elderly persons living in residential care homes;
* Long-stay residents of institutions for the disabled;
* Elderly persons aged 65 or above with chronic medical problems and followed up in public clinics;
* Persons aged 50 or above receiving Comprehensive Social Security
Assistance (CSSA);
* Persons under 65 with chronic medical problems who are on CSSA, and some long-stay Hospital Authority (HA) in-patients with chronic medical problems;
* Health-care workers of the DH, the HA and other government departments, as well as health-care workers in elderly homes or institutions for the disabled;
* Children above the age of 6 months and less than 6 years old from families receiving CSSA;
* All pregnant women receiving CSSA;
* Poultry workers or staff who may be involved in poultry-culling operations; and
* Pig farmers and pig-slaughtering industry personnel.
"There is ample time to receive influenza vaccination before the expected arrival of the winter flu season," Dr Tsang said.
Ends/Monday, September 12, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:20
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