Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government is to launch its annual Influenza Vaccination Program from Nov. 7 to Dec. 31 this year, covering a total of 250,000 people.

Thomas Tsang, consultant of the Center for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH), said in a press release on Wednesday that the program is to provide free influenza vaccinations to some of the target groups recommended by Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases.

He said the target groups include: elderly people living in residential care homes, long-stay residents of institutions for the disabled, people aged 65 or above with chronic illness that has been treated in public clinics, some Hospital Authority (HA) in-patients who have chronic illness, health care workers of the DH, HA and other government departments, as well as health care workers in elderly homes or institutions for the disabled.

Tsang said this year's government program has expanded its scope from last year. Additional target groups covered include health care workers in elderly homes and institutions for the disabled

Hong Kong's private medical sector has expressed strong support for the influenza vaccination initiative and is geared up to provide influenza vaccinations to a major portion of the community.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2005)