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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced today (October 30) that the Government Vaccination Programme (GVP), part of the Vaccination Programmes 2013/14, will commence this Friday (November 1) to provide free seasonal influenza and pneumococcal vaccination to eligible groups, including those at the highest risk of complications, at public clinics and hospitals, as well as residential care homes for the elderly and the disabled.
This season, the target groups as recommended by the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) of the CHP remain unchanged whereas the composition of the recommended vaccines is in line with the World Health Organization's recommendations. In addition to the trivalent influenza vaccines, the SCVPD recommended that the use of quadrivalent influenza vaccines should be considered if available.
Except for four categories, the GVP has already covered all eligible persons under the target groups recommended by the SCVPD. Regarding the following four specific categories of persons, namely:
* Pregnant women;
* Persons aged 50 years or above;
* Persons with chronic medical problems attending public clinics; and
* Children aged from 6 months to less than 6 years,
they are also eligible under the GVP if they are recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme. In order to extend the protection to those who are underprivileged, apart from CSSA recipients, the GVP will be expanded in this season to provide free vaccination to these four groups of persons who are holding valid Certificates for Waiver of Medical Charges from the Social Welfare Department (see Attachment for details).
Eligible persons will receive vaccination in hospitals and clinics under the Hospital Authority, as well as the DH's service units, including Maternal and Child Health Centres, Elderly Health Centres, Chest Clinics, the Integrated Treatment Centre under the Special Preventive Programme and clinics under the Professional Development and Quality Assurance.
The Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme (RVP), as part of the GVP, will start on the same date. Free seasonal influenza vaccination will be provided by Visiting Medical Officers enrolled under the RVP to residents and staff of residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) and residential care homes for persons with disabilities (RCHDs) at their institutions. In addition, residents of RCHEs and residents aged 65 or above in RCHDs who have never received pneumococcal vaccine before are also eligible for free pneumococcal vaccination under the RVP.
In addition, health-care workers are recommended to receive influenza vaccination in order to reduce morbidity and the risk of transmitting influenza in health-care settings.
Poultry workers, culling operation staff, pig farmers and pig-slaughtering industry personnel are also recommended to receive vaccination. Briefings and health education materials are provided to relevant trade associations and workers.
Apart from the GVP, the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS), also part of the Vaccination Programmes 2013/14, started on October 2 to provide eligible young children and elderly persons with subsidised seasonal influenza vaccination from enrolled private doctors under the Childhood Influenza Vaccination Subsidy Scheme and the Elderly Vaccination Subsidy Scheme.
As of October 27, over 1,600 private doctors have joined the VSS. So far, over 67,000 doses of seasonal influenza vaccines have been administered, 17,000 (34 per cent) more doses than the amount in the same period last season.
"Members of the public are encouraged to receive influenza vaccination early to gain protection before the arrival of the winter flu season," a spokesman for the CHP remarked.
The CHP has set up a hotline (2125 2125) for public enquiries relating to the Vaccination Programmes during office hours. Members of the public may also visit the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/18870.html) for more information.
"Influenza vaccines are safe and effective, and it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body. Except for those with medical contraindications, influenza vaccination is suitable for all members of the public as influenza can cause serious illnesses in high-risk individuals and even healthy persons," the spokesman stressed.
Ends/Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:40
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