Secretary for Health Receives Influenza Vaccine, Urges Public to Get Vaccinated Early This Season

Secretary for Health receives seasonal influenza vaccination

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, received a seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) at Sai Wan Ho Family Medicine Clinic today (September 7). The Permanent Secretary for Health, Mr Thomas Chan; the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Cecilia Fan;the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH), Dr Edwin Tsui; the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare of the Health Bureau (HHB), DrPang Fei-chau; the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan; the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Libby Lee;the Assistant Director of the Strategic Purchasing Office of the HHB, Dr Christina Maw,and frontline healthcareworkers also joined the effort and received vaccinations.

Professor Lo said, "SIV is one of the most effective means to prevent seasonal influenza and its complications. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza virus infection. To be preparedfor the current summer and possible winter influenza seasons in one go, I strongly appeal to all members of the public to receive SIV as early as possible."

SIV can effectively reduce the risks of serious illnesses and death. All members of the public aged 6 months or above, except those with known contraindications, should receive SIV. With the concerted efforts of the Government and various sectors of the community (including the medical sectors, schools, parents and residential care homes), over 2.03 million doses of vaccines were administered under the various SIV programmes in the previous year of 2025/26, with overall coverage rates of the target population remaining similar to those of the preceding year. Among children and adolescents, the SIV rate for persons aged 6 months to under 18 years reached 64.8 per cent, which is 13.1 percentage points higher than the average for the same period over the past three seasons (51.7 per cent). The vaccination rate for adolescents aged 12 to under 18 years reached 61.4 per cent, representing a substantial increase of 22.6 percentage points compared with the average for the same period over the past three seasons (38.8 per cent). Under the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach Programme (SIVSOP), more than 2 300 schools (representing 99 per cent of all schools) completed SIV outreach activities by the end of December 2025, up from 91 per cent in the preceding year.

The Government will launch the 2026/27 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes, including the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS), the Government Vaccination Programme, the SIVSOP and the Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme next Thursday (September 17) to provide free or subsidised SIV for children and adolescents aged 6 months to under 18 years; adults aged 18 to 49 with chronic medical conditions (regardless of financial status); persons aged 50 or above (including the elderly living in residential care homes); pregnant women and healthcare workers, and others. For the 2026/27 SIV programmes, the Government has procured approximately 1.3 million doses of four types of influenza vaccines. These four types of vaccines and their suppliers have all met Hong Kong'sstrict regulatory requirements for pharmaceutical products. The Government has also procured 300000 vaccine doses for eligible doctors under the Pilot Scheme on Vaccine Procurement for Doctors (Pilot Scheme).

Professor Lo added, "The Government has consistently accorded high priority to the SIV programmes and has, on an ongoing basis, introduced enhancement measures every year with a view to raising vaccination coverage rates. This year, the Government will implement four optimising initiatives, which are optimising vaccine procurement arrangements with the diversified, non-single-supplier procurement approach to help mitigate supply-chain risks, ensuring the reliability and sustainability of vaccine sources; introducing a new Electronic Consent Form feature through eHealth, which enables members of the public to submit their e-consent forms for the SIVSOP and the VSS via the eHealth mobile application, facilitating public participation in the vaccination programmes and streamlining the administrative procedures for healthcare service providers and schools; increasing the number of influenza vaccine doses to 300 000 for the Pilot Scheme while expanding the eligibility groups of doctors to further enhance the stability of the vaccine supply in the private market;and strengthening the mobilisation of community resources and collaborations with more units in promoting and arranging vaccination activities in the community to jointly expand the protection barrier in society."

For more details, members of the public may call the CHP at 2125 2125 or visit the Vaccination Schemes page.

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (centre), chats with a citizen before receiving his seasonal influenza vaccination at Sai Wan Ho Family Medicine Clinic today (September 7). Looking on is the Chairman of the Hospital Authority, Mr Henry Fan (right). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (back row, seventh right); the Permanent Secretary for Health, Mr Thomas Chan (back row, seventh left); the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Cecilia Fan (back row, sixth left); the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam (back row, sixth right); the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, Dr Edwin Tsui (back row, fourth right); the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare of the Health Bureau (HHB), Dr Pang Fei-chau (back row, fourth left); the Assistant Director of the Strategic Purchasing Office of the HHB, Dr Christina Maw (back row, third right); the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan (back row, fifth left); and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Libby Lee (back row, fifth right), joined by frontline healthcare workers at Sai Wan Ho Family Medicine Clinic today (September 7), urged members of the public to receive a seasonal influenza vaccination as early as possible. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (back row, centre); the Permanent Secretary for Health, Mr Thomas Chan (back row, fourth left); the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Cecilia Fan (back row, third left); the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam (back row, fourth right); the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, Dr Edwin Tsui (back row, first right); the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare of the Health Bureau (HHB), Dr Pang Fei-chau (back row, first left); the Assistant Director of the Strategic Purchasing Office of the HHB, Dr Christina Maw (back row, second right); the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan (back row, second left); and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Libby Lee (back row, third right), look on as frontline healthcare workers receive seasonal influenza vaccinations at Sai Wan Ho Family Medicine Clinic today (September 7). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, Dr Edwin Tsui (front row, third left); the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare of the Health Bureau (HHB), Dr Pang Fei-chau (front row, first left); and the Assistant Director of the Strategic Purchasing Office of the HHB, Dr Christina Maw (front row, second right), receive seasonal influenza vaccinations at Sai Wan Ho Family Medicine Clinic today (September 7). Looking on are the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (back row, third right); the Permanent Secretary for Health, Mr Thomas Chan (back row, third left); the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Cecilia Fan (back row, second left); the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam (back row, second right); the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan (back row, first left); and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Libby Lee (back row, first right). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Under Secretary for Health, Dr Cecilia Fan (front row, third left); the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan (front row, first left); and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Libby Lee (front row, second right), receive seasonal influenza vaccinations at Sai Wan Ho Family Medicine Clinic today (September 7). Looking on are the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (back row, centre); the Permanent Secretary for Health, Mr Thomas Chan (back row, left); and the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam (back row, right). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (third left); the Permanent Secretary for Health, Mr Thomas Chan (first left); and the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam (second right), receive seasonal influenza vaccinations at Sai Wan Ho Family Medicine Clinic today (September 7). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

September's monthly gravidtrap index for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes continues to drop

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (October 8) announced that the monthly gravidtrap index (MGI) for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in September was 5.2 per cent, lower than the 6.6 per cent in August. This reflects the continued efforts by the FEHD and relevant government departments to intensify mosquito prevention and elimination operations, resulting in the improvement of the overall mosquito infestation situation this month.

In September, among the 62 survey areas, the area gravidtrap index (AGI) in one area exceeded the alert level of 20 per cent. The decreases in the MGI and the AGI are attributable to the continuous and intensified mosquito prevention and elimination operations by various government departments and stakeholders, and may also have been affected by factors such as weather. Overall, the MGI for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in September was 5.2 per cent, at Level 2 (indicating the distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in the survey areas was fairly extensive). Relevant departments and stakeholders will persistently intensify mosquito prevention and elimination operations.

Moreover, the monthly density index for Aedes albopictus in September was 1.2, which represented that an average of 1.2 Aedes albopictus adults were found in the Aedes-positive gravidtraps, indicating that the number of adult Aedes albopictus was not abundant in the survey areas. The gravidtrap and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department's website at www.fehd.gov.hk.

A spokesman for the FEHD said, "The FEHD continues to monitor mosquito infestation and conduct risk assessments in all districts, promptly taking appropriate and targeted mosquito prevention and elimination measures. The FEHD, together with relevant departments and stakeholders, has implemented rapid response measures and targeted deployments, and has continued to intensify mosquito prevention and control work with relevant government departments in areas under their purview, including eliminating mosquito breeding places, applying larvicides, conducting fogging operations to eradicate adult mosquitoes, and placing mosquito trapping devices at suitable locations. The FEHD has also conducted site inspections with relevant departments, and provided them with professional advice and technical support to assist them in formulating and implementing effective anti-mosquito measures swiftly. At the same time, the FEHD has strengthened publicity and education.

The FEHD continues to conduct a three-phase Anti-mosquito Campaign this year. The third phase of the Anti-mosquito Campaign was launched on August 3 and will run until October 23. During the period, the district offices of the FEHD will target residences, schools, construction sites, public housing estates, hospitals, illegal cultivation sites, waterfront public and private cargo working areas, land boundary control points, typhoon shelters and cross-boundary ferry terminals to remove accumulated water and carry out mosquito prevention and control work. To further enhance the effectiveness of mosquito control, the FEHD and relevant government departments have launched the first and second phases of the All-out Anti-mosquito Operations on March 25 and April 30 respectively. The departments will continue with the work of phase one, including eliminating potential mosquito breeding places and arranging for necessary structural repairs to minimise mosquito breeding places, and will consistently carry out the work of phase two by conducting regular ultra-low volume fogging operations at places with mosquito infestation to control the mosquitoes. The FEHD calls on property management entities to continue actively participating in the All-out Anti-mosquito Operations.

The FEHD currently makes regular announcements on gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus on its webpage. To allow more citizens to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation, the FEHD has strengthened information dissemination by promptly announcing the latest gravidtrap indexes through press releases and social media.

To reduce the risk of transmission of chikungunya fever (CF) and dengue fever (DF), the FEHD continues to step up mosquito prevention and control measures across all districts and conduct vector investigations and targeted mosquito control operations within a 250-metre radius of the residences of patients and the places that patients had visited during the infectious period. Actions include removing mosquito breeding grounds, applying larvicides to stagnant water that cannot be cleared, and carrying out ultra-low volume fogging operations in adult mosquito habitats such as densely wooded areas, dark and secluded places, and abandoned structures to eliminate adult mosquitoes.

The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to stay alert and work together to carry out mosquito prevention and control measures early, including inspecting their homes and surroundings to remove potential breeding grounds, changing water in vases and scrubbing their inner surfaces, removing water in saucers under plant pots at least once a week, and properly disposing of containers such as empty cans and disposable meal boxes. The FEHD also advises members of the public and estate management bodies to keep drains free of blockage and level all defective ground surfaces to prevent the accumulation of water. They should also scrub all drains and surface sewers with an alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.

Aedes albopictus is a kind of mosquito that can transmit DF and CF. DF and CF are commonly found in countries in tropical and subtropical regions, and the risk of importation persists. Members of the public should check the situation at their destinations before travelling abroad, especially when travelling to Southeast Asian countries. If travellers feel unwell after returning to Hong Kong, they should seek medical advice immediately and provide their travel history to the doctor.

Source: AI-found images