CS and PAOs call on public to receive flu vaccination (with photos)
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     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, and a number of Politically Appointed Officials today (November 15) received seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) and appealed to the public to receive vaccination in preparation for the winter influenza season.

     Officials receiving SIV with Mr Cheung today were the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau; the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong; the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law; the Secretary for Security, Mr John Lee; the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung; the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Caspar Tsui; and the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan. The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, who had received vaccination with front-line healthcare professionals earlier, was also present to show her support.

     Mr Cheung said that to protect public health, the Government has implemented the Government Vaccination Programme (GVP) and the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS) to provide free or subsidised SIV to eligible persons respectively. He also called on people to receive vaccination and to maintain personal and environmental hygiene.

     The following groups are eligible for receiving free SIV in the public sector under the GVP:
 
  1. Pregnant women receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) or holding a valid Certificate for Waiver of Medical Charges (Certificate);
  2. Residents of residential care homes (RCHs) for the elderly or the disabled;
  3. Community-living elderly persons aged 65 or above, or CSSA recipients/Certificate holders aged 50 to under 65;
  4. Community-living Disability Allowance recipients or persons with intellectual disabilities in the public health sector or designated institutions;
  5. CSSA recipients or Certificate holders with high-risk conditions aged under 50 attending public clinics;
  6. In-patients of public hospitals with high-risk conditions or paediatric out-patients with high-risk conditions;
  7. Healthcare workers in the public sector, RCHs or other departments;
  8. Children aged 6 months to under 12 years from families receiving CSSA or holding the Certificate; and
  9. Poultry workers, pig farmers and pig-slaughtering industry personnel.

     The following groups are eligible for receiving subsidised SIV in the private sector under the VSS:
 
  1. All pregnant women;
  2. All children aged 6 months to under 12 years;
  3. Community-living persons with intellectual disabilities or receiving Disability Allowance, regardless of disability (including physical, mental or intellectual disability or other conditions); and
  4. All elderly persons aged 65 years or above.

     The Government encourages people aged 6 months or above, except those with known contraindications, to receive vaccination to protect themselves against influenza and its complications in order to reduce the risk of related hospitalisation and death. The 2017-18 GVP started on October 25 and has been extended to the second phase. Elderly persons aged 65 or above and other eligible groups under the GVP may have vaccinations at designated clinics under the Hospital Authority and the Department of Health.

Ends/Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Issued at HKT 13:18

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