Press Releases
Government appeals to public to receive vaccination against seasonal influenza early (with photos)
To get better prepared before the winter influenza peak season arrives, the
Chief Executive, Mr C Y Leung, today (December 2) received seasonal
influenza vaccination together with the Secretary for Financial Services and
the Treasury, Professor K C Chan; the Secretary for Development, Mr Paul
Chan; the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung
Bing-leung; the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung;
and the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang.
"Hong Kong usually experiences two influenza peak seasons every year - one
between January and March and the other in July and August. This year, the
Government has extended the vaccination programme to encourage all elderly
persons aged 65 or above to receive free vaccination from the public sector,
while persons with intellectual disability can also receive free and
subsidised vaccination. It is hoped that the overall seasonal influenza
vaccination coverage, particularly among the elderly, can be boosted to
safeguard public health," the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man,
said.
Meanwhile, to echo the Government's appeal, 27 legislators today received
vaccination at the Legislative Council Complex with a view to encouraging
the public to receive seasonal flu vaccination.
Earlier, Dr Ko and the Under Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia
Chan, visited the Kwun Tong Community Health Centre and Queen Elizabeth
Hospital respectively to encourage members of the public and healthcare
staff to receive seasonal influenza vaccination. They also received the
vaccination during their visits.
As of November 29, some 245,000 doses of seasonal influenza vaccines had
been administered to eligible groups under the Government Vaccination
Programme through public clinics and hospitals and residential care homes
for the elderly and the disabled, while some 124,000 doses were administered
under the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme through enrolled private doctors.
Ends/Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:17
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