Private doctors participating in Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes to provide free or subsidised influenza vaccinations for eligible persons from September 22 while public vaccination venues to commence from September 25
In view of the continued increase in influenza activity, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced today (September 19) that the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS) under the 2025/26 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination (SIV) Programmes will be advanced to commence three days earlier. Eligible high-risk groups could visit private doctors participating in the VSS and receive a free or subsidised SIV from next Monday (September 22). Other public vaccination venues, including DH's Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs), District Health Centres (DHCs) and District Health Centre Expresses (DHCEs) and their service outlets, general outpatient clinics and public hospitals of the Hospital Authority (HA), as well as SIV School Outreach Programme and the Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme, will remain to provide SIV starting from September 25.
Influenza activity continues to rise
-----------------------------------------
"Hong Kong has entered the summer influenza season and the influenza activity continues to rise. The CHP's latest surveillance data showed that the percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for seasonal influenza viruses during the past week (September 7 to 13) was 8.31 per cent, higher than the 6.97 per cent recorded during the preceding week. The influenza admission rate in public hospitals is 0.44 cases per 10 000 population, higher than the 0.42 cases recorded during the preceding week. Outbreaks of influenza-like illness (ILI) in schools and residential care homes have significantly increased in the past two weeks. As of yesterday (September 18), there have been 131 ILI outbreaks involving schools since the start of the school year, including kindergartens/child care centres (17 cases), primary schools (70 cases) and secondary schools (44 cases). There were seven cases of severe paediatric influenza A infection recorded in the same period, three of whom were unvaccinated in the previous season," the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said.
VSS to advance commencement on Monday
------------------------------------------------------
"In view of the influenza activity further increased, the number of infected patients and outbreaks is expected to remain at a high level in the near term. The Government will inform all private doctors participating in the VSS that starting from Monday, eligible persons could receive a free or subsidised SIV. We appeal to your support on SIV. Get vaccinated once a year and sooner is better than later," Dr Tsui said.
Over 1 700 doctors have applied to join the VSS. The Government will provide a subsidy of $260 per dose of vaccination. To facilitate members of the public in searching for doctors who offer vaccines without any co-payment, or vaccination venues for different types of seasonal influenza vaccines, the website providing information on private doctors participating in the VSS has also been optimised. This includes the enhanced search function and allowing doctors to update their details in real time.
Public vaccination venues to commence influenza vaccination services from September 25
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To make vaccinations more accessible, the Government will open all 29 of the DH's MCHCs for all children aged 6 months to under 2 years. Moreover, the 25 DHCs and DHCEs and their service outlets under the Primary Healthcare Commission, and 74 general outpatient clinics and 38 public hospitals of the HA to provide more choices for the public. For a list of vaccination venues, please refer to the CHP'sVaccination Schemespage. Starting from 9am next Monday, parents of eligible children may book an appointment for their children to receive vaccinations at designated MCHCs via theonline booking system.
For more information on the SIV programmes, please visit theVaccination Schemespageor call the CHP during office hours at 2125 2125.
Source: AI-found images
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted an anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Contribute" today (January 15).During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided premises under renovation in a newly built public housing estate in Sheung Shui district.A total of six suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. Thearrested suspected illegal workers comprise six men, aged 22 to 41. Furthermore, one man, aged 45, suspected of employing the illegal workers, was also arrested. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.
Apart from mounting the enforcement operation, ImmD officers and a promotional vehicle have been deployed to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and convey the message in the estate.
An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."
The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
