Press Releases
Government announces details of human swine influenza vaccination programme (with video)
A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau announced today (November 30)
that the Government would launch the human swine influenza vaccination
programme on December 21.
Under the programme, about two million people falling under the five target
groups - chronic patients and pregnant women, children aged from six months
to under six years, elderly aged 65 and above, healthcare workers and
workers in the pig industry - will be given priority to receive vaccinations
on a voluntary base.
"The hospitals, clinics and medical centres under the Department of Health
and Hospital Authority (HA) will provide free vaccination service to the
target groups. From December 28, three of the five target groups can choose
to vaccinate at private clinics on government subsidy. This arrangement is
meant to provide more choices to them," the spokesman said.
The three target groups are chronic patients and pregnant women, children
aged from six months to under six years and the elderly aged 65 and above.
They can opt to receive the vaccination from private doctors who have joined
the human swine influenza vaccination subsidy scheme. The Government will
subsidise them an amount of $129, including $79 per dose for the vaccine
cost and $50 for the injection fee.
Information including the addresses of the private clinics which have taken
part in the subsidy scheme and any additional fees charged will be uploaded
to the website of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of
Health (http://www.chp.gov.hk) for
public reference. Participating doctors are also required to display logos
of the scheme for easy recognition.
"We encourage the target groups to receive the vaccination where they
normally go for medical services," the spokesman said.
For the remaining two target groups, healthcare workers can receive
vaccination from their serving medical institutions or HA clinics, while
workers in the pig industry can get free vaccinations from HA's designated
clinics.
"Human swine flu cases continue to be found all over the world and the
situation in Hong Kong may become more serious with the arrival of the
winter influenza peak. People belonging to the target groups are urged to be
vaccinated to reduce the chance of infection and safeguard their health,"
the spokesman said.
"Although there are reports of feeling unwell after the human swine flu
vaccination, abnormality has so far not been found. Receiving vaccination is
still safe and that members of the public should not be over-worried," the
spokesman said.
"We believe that the first batch of 500,000 dosages will be sufficient to
meet the initial demand of the target groups. The remaining 2.5 million
dosages will arrive in January next year. People who are not in the target
groups can choose to receive vaccination from private clinics on their own
cost after the second batch of vaccines arrives," he said.
Ends/Monday, November 30, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:47
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