Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases issues recommendations on seasonal influenza vaccination for 2025-26 season
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 vaccines to be used and the priority groups for receiving vaccination for the upcoming 2025-26 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 various quadrivalent and trivalent seasonal influenza vaccines registered in Hong Kong, including inactivated influenza vaccine, live attenuated influenza vaccine (i.e. nasal vaccine) and recombinant influenza vaccine, could be used for the 2025-26 influenza season.Moreover, the composition of the seasonal influenza vaccines for the upcoming 2025-26 season should follow the WHO's recommendations for the 2025-26 Northern Hemisphere influenza season.
Regarding the priority groups for receiving seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV), the SCVPD recommended that the priority groups for 2025-26 influenza season continue to follow those recommended for the current season (2024-25), including healthcare 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.
"At the meeting, CHP representatives shared with the experts the latest analysis on the reduction of the risk of severe influenza by SIV during the current influenza season. Local data showed that the rate of severe influenza complications among children who did not receive SIV of the current season is about four times that of vaccinated children. Among the elderly, the rate of severe influenza (including death) among residents of the residential care homes aged 65 years or above who did not receive SIV of the current season is 2.3 times that of the vaccinated residents. Experts agreed that the data highlighted the important protective role of SIV against severe infection and death," said the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui.
"Both local and overseas data have confirmed that SIV offers protection against influenza and its complications. Except those with known contraindications, members of the public, in particular young children and older adults, should receive SIV annually for personal protection," he added.
With joint efforts of all sectors of society (including the Government, medical sector, schools, parents and institutions), as of March 16, a total of about 2.06 million doses of vaccines were administered under various vaccination programmes in the year 2024/25, representing an increase of about 12.1 per cent over the same period last year. It also exceeded the total number of doses (about 1 873 000 doses) administered under various SIV programmes last year, reaching a record high. For the 2025/26 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Scheme, the Government will continue to step up efforts to assist high-risk groups, particularly young children, students and the elderly, in receiving influenza vaccinations. The Government is exploring the feasibility of procuring some influenza vaccines for participating private doctors in the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme and is obtaining information from suppliers about the market supply situation. Announcement will be made at an appropriate time.
Details of the SCVPD recommendations are available on the CHP website.
