Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases updates recommendations on use of meningococcal vaccines
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In light of the very low invasive meningococcal disease incidence in Hong Kong, introducing universal meningococcal vaccination into the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme is not recommended by the SCVPD from the public health perspective.
Based on the risk of infection, the SCVPD recommended the following individuals to receive meningococcal vaccinations as appropriate for personal protection.
1. Travellers at higher risk of exposure, including:
- Those travelling to sub-Saharan regions of Africa during the dry season (i.e. December to June) should consult their doctors to receive quadrivalent MenACWY vaccine;
- Those travelling to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah should receive quadrivalent MenACWY vaccine;
- Those travelling to other areas with reported meningococcal disease epidemics or outbreaks should receive vaccine that aligns with the destination's prevalent serogroups;
- Long-term travellers (such as those studying abroad) should receive meningococcal vaccination per the recommendations by the health authorities in the destination country;
- Individuals with immunodeficiency (advanced HIV infection, terminal complement component deficiencies and asplenia); and
- Laboratory workers who are routinely exposed to isolates of N. meningitidis.
Travellers should seek professional advice from doctors for meningococcal vaccination. Doctors will take into account their age, health conditions, and details of the journeys (including destination, duration and activities) when giving the vaccination advice. In addition, the aforementioned three categories of individuals with immunodeficiency and relevant laboratory workers should seek advice from doctors for meningococcal vaccination as appropriate based on their underlying medical conditions and the risk of occupational exposure respectively.
The SCVPD will continue to monitor the scientific evidence, local epidemiology and recommendations from the WHO and overseas authorities, to review the recommendations on the use of meningococcal vaccinations from a public health perspective as appropriate.
The recommendations of the SCVPD have been uploaded to the CHP website.
Ends/Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Issued at HKT 12:40
Issued at HKT 12:40
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