Hong Kong Health Authorities Reinforce Importance of Childhood Vaccinations Amid Vaccine Safety Concerns

DH reiterates importance of Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme

In response to media enquiries about whether adjustments to the vaccines covered by the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme (HKCIP) are needed, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 26) emphasised that all public health policies and medical advice must be based on scientific evidence. The CHP categorically rejected any suggestion to delay or discontinue the hepatitis B vaccination for newborns, as this would pose irreversible and significant public health risks to the community. Furthermore, the CHP reaffirms that vaccines under the HKCIP are one of the most effective tools for safeguarding public health and preventing and controlling infectious diseases, with their safety and effectiveness fully supported by ample scientific evidence from long-term practice. The CHP reminds parents to ensure their children receive timely vaccinations under the HKCIP to effectively protect them from contracting serious vaccine-preventable diseases.

"The Government has comprehensively and long promoted childhood immunisation. Vaccines that contribute to safeguarding children's health and overall public health have been incorporated into the HKCIP and other government vaccination programmes, such as the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes. Thanks to the trust and support of parents, schools and the healthcare professionals in the HKCIP over the years, immunisation coverage has remained extremely high, successfully keeping the incidence of related childhood infectious diseases in Hong Kong at extremely low levels. With the help of vaccines, smallpox was eradicated globally in 1980, and poliomyelitis was eliminated in Hong Kong in 2000. Measles and rubella were successful eliminated in Hong Kong in 2016 and 2021 respectively," the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said.

"The Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) under the CHP regularly reviews vaccines for various preventable diseases by assessing the epidemiology in Hong Kong, the latest recommendations on immunisation from the World Health Organization (WHO), scientific developments and applications of new vaccines, updates on vaccine components, cost-effectiveness studies and the experiences of other health authorities. The SCVPD then makes recommendations to the DH from a public health perspective. The HKCIP is tailored to local epidemiological conditions and has been proven safe and effective. Its achievements in safeguarding public health are evident. Members of the public should not blindly follow practices in certain overseas regions and develop unnecessary concerns about the HKCIP's long-standing effectiveness," he added.

HKCIP

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Based on the SCVPD's recommendations, infants from birth to students of Primary Six should receive multiple vaccines and booster doses under the HKCIP to prevent 12 infectious diseases, namely tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, hepatitis B, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, pneumococcal infection, chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella (also known as "German Measles") and human papillomavirus infection.

Children must complete all doses according to the schedule recommended by the HKCIP to ensure adequate immune protection. Unvaccinated children lack immunity against relevant infectious diseases and are susceptible to infections such as measles and pertussis. Young children infected with these diseases may develop severe complications. Furthermore, unvaccinated children may become a conduit for transmitting infectious diseases, indirectly affecting the herd immunity of the community.

"Measles is an example of a disease that is experiencing a global resurgence due to declining childhood vaccination rates. Over the past three years, measles outbreaks have spread to multiple regions worldwide. Recently, some overseas countries have reported large numbers of measles cases. North America (including the United States and Canada) and Southeast Asia (including Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines) have experienced persistent outbreaks due to low vaccination coverage rates. Furthermore, Japan and Australia recorded an increase in measles cases last year. Most of the cases overseas involved individuals who had never received the measles vaccine or whose vaccination history was unknown, underscoring the importance of maintaining high overall vaccination rates and herd immunity," Dr Tsui said.

Hepatitis B

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According to the WHO recommendations, receiving the hepatitis B vaccine at birth and completing the three-dose series on schedule are crucial measures for preventing infection and reducing the public health burden of hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B is transmitted through contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person. The major transmission routes include mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), through contact with blood and sexual contact. In chronic hepatitis B (CHB) endemic places, including Hong Kong, most people with CHB are infected through MTCT. The younger the age of acquiring the infection, the higher the risk of developing CHB. If a newborn is infected, there is up to a 90 per cent chance of developing CHB. CHB is the primary cause of liver cancer, cirrhosis and liver failure among the population in Hong Kong.

"Since 1988, the universal childhood hepatitis B immunisation programme has been implemented in Hong Kong. The current vaccination coverage rate among preschool children has reached 99 per cent. According to the Population Health Survey 2020-22, prevalence of hepatitis B among those under 35 years old has dropped below 1 per cent, reflecting Hong Kong's successful progress towards realising the goal of a 'hepatitis B-free generation'. The provision of hepatitis B vaccination to newborns has been instrumental in this achievement," Dr Tsui said.

The Government has attached great importance to the public health threat posed by viral hepatitis, and announced the Hong Kong Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2025-2030 (Action Plan) at the end of last year. Through the implementation of a series of strategies and initiatives to prevent and control viral hepatitis, the Action Plan aims to further alleviate the public health burden posed by viral hepatitis. Preventing new infections is one of the four strategic axes of the Action Plan. Under this strategic axis, sustaining the existing effective MTCT prevention measures and maintaining their high coverage rates, including neonatal hepatitis B vaccination, are crucial for eliminating new hepatitis B infections.

The DH will continue to work with the SCVPD to monitor the situation of various vaccine-preventable diseases and scientific developments of new vaccines. Experts will be consulted as required to review and update the HKCIP in a timely manner.

Source: AI-found images

HKSAR LegCo strongly condemns foreign media organisation for misleading international society and whitewashing Lai Chee-ying's offenses

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

A spokesman for the Legislative Council ("LegCo") today (May 1) strongly condemned the release of a so-called press freedom index by a foreign media organisation and presentation of a so-called award to the national security offender Lai Chee-ying to sugarcoat his criminal acts, and smear the press freedom and rule of law in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ("HKSAR"). LegCo strongly condemns and firmly opposes all untrue comments that defame the human rights and rule of law in the HKSAR.

LegCo's spokesman stressed, "Hong Kong citizens enjoy freedom of the press and freedom of speech as protected under the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights. The Hong Kong National Security Law ("HKNSL") and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance ("SNSO") clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security. The rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of the press, of speech and of publication, enjoyed by Hong Kong people under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applied to the HKSAR, are protected in accordance with the law. Facts speak louder than the words. Since the implementation of the HKNSL and the SNSO, Hong Kong society as a whole has thrived and returned to rationality and safety."

LegCo's spokesman emphasised, "Lai Chee-ying has been sentenced to 20 years in prison and the evidence is irrefutable. During the trial, a vast amount of evidence testified that for years, under the guise of journalism, democracy, and freedom, Lai Chee-ying utilised media platforms as political tools to incite hatred and commit acts that harmed both the country and Hong Kong. This included using media platforms to call for foreign forces to interfere in Hong Kong affairs and to impose sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials. The court conducted a rigorous, fair, just and open trial lasting 156 days. The reasons for the verdict, spanning 855 pages, have been fully disclosed for public inspection; they set out in detail the judges' rigorous analysis of legal principles and evidence, and clearly explain the reasons for finding Lai Chee-ying and the three defendant companies guilty. The judgment also pointed out that Lai Chee-ying was not on trial for his political views or beliefs. The court's conviction is well-reasoned and sound, fully demonstrating that the court makes rulings strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, free from any interference."

LegCo's spokesman said, "As emphasised by the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council,Mr Xia Baolong,in his speech on this year's National Security Education Day, Hong Kong's transition from chaos to order, and from order to prosperity, profoundly demonstrates that there is no development without security, and without security, everything is out of the question. Only by holding the bottom line of security can we achieve development and win the future."

LegCo's spokesman reiterated, "LegCo will continue to firmly fulfil its constitutional responsibilities, support the SAR Government's administration in accordance with the law, uphold the rule of law and ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of 'one country, two systems'. LegCo urges the international community to recognise the facts and immediately stop making any groundless, fact-distorting, misleading and malicious attacks against Hong Kong."

Source: AI-found images