Re: HONG KONG, PRC SAR: [1,265 cases, 0 deaths, 14 in hospital, 1 in ICU, as 07/12/09]
Re: HONG KONG, PRC SAR: [1,265 cases, 0 deaths, 14 in hospital, 1 in ICU, as 07/12/09]
Hong Kong: SFH on human swine flu (7/13/09)
Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, at a media stand-up session at the Legislative Council Building today (July 13):
Reporter:
(about the Filipino maid with human swine flu and the emergency response level)
Secretary for Food and Health:
I do not have the detailed information regarding this particular patient, but I think she is still in a critical condition in the intensive care unit of the United Christian Hospital. Whether Hong Kong has a fatal case or not will not affect our emergency measures at the moment. Of course, we will investigate the nature of the virus. We are doing genetic sequencing to see whether there is any significant change of the virus.
Reporter:
(about the concerns of the new vaccine)
Secretary for Food and Health:
As far as our contract for the procurement of vaccine is concerned, our tendering document has certain conditions requiring the supplier to comply with certain quality and safety standards. This is to make sure that they have acquired the registration from the relevant authorities before we will use it on our general public. We will also inform the general public about the quality of this vaccine and any possibility of side-effects, and explain to them the requirement to receive the vaccine, particularly for those who have risk factors like whether they are extremes of age, people with chronic illnesses, or whether they are pregnant women. I think this is important to note that it is for the protection of the public that we acquire such vaccine and it is important for the public to understand the risk before they make a decision.
Reporter:
(about the vaccines for human swine flu and seasonal flu)
Secretary for Food and Health:
According to the experts, there is no contradiction for having two vaccines being given even close together. The only consideration in our cases is availability of the vaccine. According to our procurement procedure, I think by the end of October, we will be able to obtain seasonal flu vaccine. We can follow the usual schedule of immunisation for seasonal flu at the end of this year, that is roughly the end of October or early November. Regarding the human swine flu vaccine, it all depends on when we are able to obtain it. Our aim is to obtain it before the end of the year so that we can start vaccination as early as December.
Reporter:
If we don't have anyone come forward to bid the tender...?}
Secretary for Food and Health:
When we plan this condition, we have explored the market and we feel that there is an opportunity that we can actually get suitable vaccine. But just in case if we do not have anybody bidding for this tendering exercise, then we have to go for re-tendering.
(Please also refer to the Chinese session of the transcript.)
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