Commonground
Senior Moderator
[emphasis is mine]
Ends/Friday, September 19, 2025
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
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"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
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"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
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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's Vaccination Schemes page. Starting from 9am next Monday, parents of eligible children may book an appointment for their children to receive vaccinations at designated MCHCs via the online booking system.
For more information on the SIV programmes, please visit the Vaccination Schemes page or call the CHP during office hours at 2125 2125.
Issued at HKT 19:00
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https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202509/19/P2025091900791.htm
Ends/Friday, September 19, 2025
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's Vaccination Schemes page. Starting from 9am next Monday, parents of eligible children may book an appointment for their children to receive vaccinations at designated MCHCs via the online booking system.
For more information on the SIV programmes, please visit the Vaccination Schemes page or call the CHP during office hours at 2125 2125.
Issued at HKT 19:00
NNNN
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202509/19/P2025091900791.htm