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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
In accordance with the Government Vaccination Programme (GVP) for 2014/15, the Hospital Authority (HA) outpatient clinics will start providing seasonal influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations to eligible persons commencing from next Monday (November 3).
The HA Chief Manager (Infection, Emergency and Contingency) Dr Liu Shao-haei, today (October 29) said that eligible persons for seasonal influenza vaccination include the following categories of people who attend public outpatient clinics:
1. Paediatric outpatients with chronic medical problems or on long-term aspirin therapy
2. Elderly people aged 65 or above with chronic medical problems, such as those who have chronic cardiovascular (except hypertension without complication), pulmonary, obesity (BMI 30 or above), metabolic or renal diseases
3. Recipients of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) or Hong Kong Residents who hold valid Certificate for Waiver of Medical Charges under the following categories:
i. Persons with chronic medical problems of all ages
ii. Persons aged 50 or above
iii. All pregnant women with antenatal appointments in public clinics
"Poultry workers, pig farmers and people who are involved in poultry culling operations or the pig-slaughtering industry, as referred by relevant departments, can also receive seasonal influenza vaccination at 22 designated outpatient clinics from November 17," Dr Liu said.
Pneumococcal vaccination will also continue to be provided for the elderly this year, including the following categories of eligible persons who attend public outpatients clinics:
1. Elderly people aged 65 or above with chronic medical problems and who attend follow-ups in public clinics
2. Elderly people aged 65 or above without known chronic medical problems but who are on CSSA or Hong Kong Residents who hold valid Certificate for Waiver of Medical Charges
To assist patients in receiving vaccination at the clinics, Dr Liu advises patients to attend the clinics and receive vaccination at the time of their pre-scheduled follow-up appointment within the vaccination period. Patients whose follow-up appointment date falls outside the specified vaccination period should enquire at the clinics for necessary arrangement.
"The above-mentioned eligible persons who wish to receive vaccination should attend the outpatient clinics while bringing along relevant documents, including a Government Vaccination Record Card, Hong Kong identity card, HA outpatient clinic appointment slip, CSSA certificate, valid Certificate for Waiver of Medical Charges and vaccination authorisation issued by the Government. They will be vaccinated if assessed as clinically suitable by clinic staff."
As in previous years, the HA will start seasonal influenza vaccination for hospitalised patients with chronic medical problems, as well as inpatients of infirmary, psycho-geriatric, mentally ill and mentally handicapped unit/wards from next Monday. The above mentioned inpatients aged 65 or above will additionally be offered pneumococcal vaccination. The HA also started to arrange vaccination for staff on October 20.
Dr Liu stressed that both vaccines are safe. "Quadrivalent influenza vaccines will be introduced into the GVP 2014/15. The vaccine compositions of the 2014/15 seasonal influenza vaccine are different from those in 2013/14. Protection from seasonal influenza vaccination develops about two to four weeks after getting a flu shot and may last up for six months at least. It is usually well tolerated apart from occasional soreness at the injection site. In rare instances, the recipient may experience fever, muscle and joint pains, and tiredness after vaccination and lasting up to one to two days. Only a small number of patients who are allergic to influenza vaccine, or to egg, and a tiny portion who have had Guillain-Barre Syndrome previously, are not suitable for the vaccination."
"As for the pneumococcal vaccine, protection will be generated in two to three weeks after inoculation. We do not recommend those elderly people who have received pneumococcal vaccination within the last five years to re-vaccinate."
"People who have flu symptoms, fever or are severely ill at the time of vaccination should defer the vaccination and wait until they have recovered. Patients can enquire at the respective specialist or general out-patient clinics where they are attending, or make general enquiries on the HA hotline 2300 6555 during office hours," Dr Liu said.
The HA will promote the vaccination programme through different channels, including the display of notices (appended) at prominent places of public hospitals, specialist out-patient clinics and general out-patient clinics.
Ends/Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:05
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