The Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) under the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (March 21) issued recommendations on seasonal influenza vaccination for the forthcoming 2024-25 influenza season in Hong Kong, after reviewing the scientific evidence, local data, latest recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and overseas practices.
              
     The SCVPD recommended that the priority groups for receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine in the 2024-25 season be the same as the season in 2023-24, covering healthcare workers, persons aged 50 years or above, pregnant women, residents of residential care homes, persons with chronic medical problems, children and adolescents aged six months to under 18 years, poultry workers, as well as pig farmers and pig-slaughtering industry personnel.
      
     Moreover, the SCVPD recommended that the composition of the seasonal influenza vaccines for the upcoming 2024-25 season should follow the WHO's recommendations for the 2024-25 Northern Hemisphere influenza season.
 
     Regarding vaccine types, inactivated influenza vaccines, live attenuated influenza vaccine (i.e. nasal vaccine) and recombinant influenza vaccine are recommended for use in Hong Kong. Both quadrivalent and trivalent seasonal influenza vaccines could be used in the 2024-25 season.
 
     A spokesman of the CHP said, "Seasonal influenza vaccine offers protection against influenza and its complications. Members of the public, except those with known contraindications, should receive seasonal influenza vaccine annually for personal protection. As the latest surveillance data indicates the overall influenza activity in Hong Kong remained at an elevated level, unvaccinated individuals, in particular young children and older adults, should receive influenza vaccination as soon as possible to enhance protection."

     ​Details of the SCVPD recommendations are available on the CHP website at www.chp.gov.hk/en/static/24008.html.

Ends/Thursday, March 21, 2024
Issued at HKT 15:00

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