Public urged to get prepared for winter influenza season (with photos)

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     To better prepare for the winter influenza season, the Government urges the public to heighten vigilance, maintain good personal, hand and environmental hygiene, and receive influenza vaccination early to prevent influenza and other respiratory diseases.

     The Under Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, today (December 1) visited Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital and received flu vaccination with the Director (Cluster Services) of the Hospital Authority (HA), Dr Cheung Wai-lun, and nurses of public hospitals.

     Professor Chan said, "The two government vaccination programmes, namely the Government Vaccination Programme and the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme, have started this year. Nearly 38 000 people have received vaccination via the two programmes. Apart from members of the public, we also strongly encourage healthcare workers to receive vaccination, no matter if they work in the public or private healthcare sector. It can safeguard their health and also reduce the risk of patients being infected.

     "To encourage and assist public healthcare workers to receive influenza vaccination, the HA has implemented various measures including arranging mobile vaccination teams to provide proactive vaccination services to healthcare workers in various departments and clinical areas regularly, setting up designated vaccination stations to facilitate staff vaccination, providing vaccination to newly recruited staff during medical examination sessions, simplifying the vaccination procedure and sharing good practices on how to promote staff vaccination, as well as organising seminars and other internal publicity measures."

     Professor Chan said the weather in Hong Kong has been getting cool recently, adding that the number of influenza cases might increase with a drop in temperature. As it takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop in the body after vaccination, she appealed to the public and healthcare workers to receive vaccination as soon as possible to prepare for the upcoming winter influenza peak season.

Ends/Thursday, December 1, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:51

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Photo

The Under Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan (third left); the Director (Cluster Services) of the Hospital Authority, Dr Cheung Wai-lun (second right); and a registered nurse (first left) today (December 1) receive seasonal influenza vaccination at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital.

The Under Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, and management staff of the Hospital Authority (HA) today (December 1) encouraged healthcare staff to receive vaccination as early as possible to prepare for the upcoming winter influenza peak season. From left: the Senior Nursing Officer (Infection Control) of New Territories West Cluster, Mr Kan Chun-hoi; the General Manager (Nursing) of Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital and Tai Po Hospital, Ms Gigi Fung; the Cluster General Manager (Nursing) of Hong Kong East Cluster, Mr Lawrence Poon; the Department Operation Manager (Orthopaedics and Traumatology) of Princess Margaret Hospital, Ms Alice Tang; the Deputising Chief Manager (Nursing) of the HA, Dr Danny Tong; Professor Chan, the Director (Cluster Services) of the HA, Dr Cheung Wai-lun; the Cluster General Manager (Nursing) of Central Kowloon Cluster, Ms Eva Liu; the General Manager (Nursing) of Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital at Sandy Bay and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Fung Yiu King Hospital and MacLehose Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Ms Isadora Wong; and the Cluster General Manager (Nursing) of Kowloon East Cluster, Ms Alice Sham.

The Under Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, today (December 1) visited Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital to view seasonal influenza vaccination for healthcare staff. Photo shows (from third left) the Senior Nursing Officer (Infection Control) of New Territories West Cluster, Mr Kan Chun-hoi; the General Manager (Nursing) of Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital and Tai Po Hospital, Ms Gigi Fung; the Cluster General Manager (Nursing) of Hong Kong East Cluster, Mr Lawrence Poon; the Department Operation Manager (Orthopaedics and Traumatology) of Princess Margaret Hospital, Ms Alice Tang; the Regional Nursing Officer of the Department of Health, Ms Mary Foong; the Deputising Chief Manager (Nursing) of the Hospital Authority (HA), Dr Danny Tong; Professor Chan; the Director (Cluster Services) of the HA, Dr Cheung Wai-lun; the Cluster General Manager (Nursing) of Central Kowloon Cluster, Ms Eva Liu; the General Manager (Nursing) of Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital at Sandy Bay and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Fung Yiu King Hospital and MacLehose Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Ms Isadora Wong; and the Cluster General Manager (Nursing) of Kowloon East Cluster, Ms Alice Sham. Also pictured are four student nurses present to give support.