The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, visited Kwai Tsing District Health Centre (DHC) today (July 29) to learn more about the outreach COVID-19 vaccination programme for the elderly jointly organised by the DHC and a network doctor.

     Professor Chan said, "The risk of severe illness caused by COVID-19 increases with age, and the elderly belong to the group of people with the highest risk of complications and death from COVID-19. Comirnaty and CoronaVac vaccines which are used in the Government COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, are highly effective in lowering the risk of severe disease and death. The elderly who have received influenza vaccines before can safely receive COVID-19 vaccines. Hence, we strongly recommend the elderly to get vaccinated as soon as possible for protection."

     To encourage the public to receive COVID-19 vaccines, Kwai Tsing DHC promotes the programme through different media platforms and organises a series of educational activities. It also provides information of vaccination in the district and offers assistance to people in need, in particular elderly, to make vaccination appointments. In addition, Kwai Tsing DHC collaborates with the network doctor to provide outreach vaccination at the DHC. The DHC nurses also monitor the reaction of participants in the following few days after vaccination and provide counselling and other support if needed. There are a total of 16 outreach vaccination sessions and nine of them have been completed. About 60 per cent of the participants are aged 65 or above.

     Professor Chan expressed her gratitude to Kwai Tsing DHC and the network doctor, Dr Hui Fai-hung, for their support to COVID-19 vaccination programme. The arrangement provides the elderly with convenient and timely service. She also took the opportunity to talk with the elderly and was glad to know that they were contented with the outreach COVID-19 vaccination programme.
      
     She appealed to different trades and organisations for their active participation in the "Early Vaccination for All" campaign with a view to protecting themselves and their families. She also said, "The COVID-19 pandemic is still severe globally, we count on our citizens to fulfil their civic responsibility and to receive COVID-19 vaccines in order to strengthen the immunity barrier under the threat posed by mutant strains."
      
     The public can browse the designated website (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk) for information on vaccination venues (Community Vaccination Centres, general out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority, private doctors and clinics participating in the programme) and other details.

Ends/Thursday, July 29, 2021
Issued at HKT 23:35

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