Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases issues recommendations on seasonal influenza vaccination for 2023-24 season in Hong Kong
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The SCVPD noted that local seasonal influenza activity has started to increase since March this year, and exceeded the baseline threshold in early April, indicating the arrival of the influenza season in Hong Kong. As the local seasonal influenza activity remained at low levels over the past three years, immunity against influenza in the local community as a whole may be relatively weaker than in the past. Given that the seasonal influenza vaccine offers protection against influenza and its complications, all members of the public, except those with known contraindications, should receive seasonal influenza vaccine annually for personal protection.
The SCVPD recommended that the priority groups for receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine in the 2023-24 season be the same as the last season, including health care workers, persons aged 50 years or above, pregnant women, residents of residential care homes, persons with chronic medical problems, children and adolescents aged 6 months to under 18 years, poultry workers, as well as pig farmers and pig-slaughtering industry personnel. COVID-19 vaccines can be co-administered with the seasonal influenza vaccine for members of the public with consent at the same time for administrative convenience and achieving better coverage.
Regarding vaccine types, based on a review of available evidence, the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) and overseas practice, inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV), live attenuated influenza vaccine (i.e. nasal vaccine) and recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV) are recommended for use in Hong Kong. Both IIV and RIV are recommended for use in the residential care home setting. RIV, which may offer improved protection against influenza illness in older adults, is preferred for older adults living in residential care homes when available.
Moreover, the SCVPD recommended that the composition of the seasonal influenza vaccines for the upcoming 2023-24 season should follow the WHO's recommendations for the 2023-24 Northern Hemisphere influenza season.
With Hong Kong entering the peak season of seasonal influenza, the risk of influenza transmission will become higher, and members of the public should not lower their guard. Taking into account the increasing seasonal influenza activity and pediatric hospital admissions, the SCVPD also urged eligible individuals, especially young children, to receive influenza vaccination as early as possible to improve the coverage under the current vaccination programme.
Details of the SCVPD's recommendations are available on the CHP's website at www.chp.gov.hk/en/static/24008.html.
Ends/Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Issued at HKT 12:30
Issued at HKT 12:30
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