November 8, 2001
The Department of Health (DH) announced that influenza vaccination for around 53 000 residents in more than 700 elderly homes would be implemented from next Monday (November 12) to November 24.
The acting Assistant Director of Health (Elderly Health Services), Dr Jaime Sin Tan, today (November 8) said:"Senior citizens living in residential care homes should take full advantage of the 5th influenza vaccination programme aimed at boosting their immunity and protecting them against severe complications of influenza infection."
"Outbreaks are more likely to occur in such enclosed settings and the elderly residents, especially those having chronic health problems, have a higher chance of developing complications such as pneumonia."
In addition to receiving influenza vaccination, Dr Sin stressed that it was also important to strengthen one's body resistance at all times through:
This year's vaccination programme will be implemented in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department, non-governmental organisations as well as subvented and the private sector.
Dr Sin said: "Vaccination will be provided free of charge and will be administered by DH vaccination teams and nursing staff of the elderly homes."
"The viral strain composition recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for 2001/2002 for Northern Hemisphere will be used. This means a combination of A/New Caledonia/20/99(H1N1)-like virus, A/Moscow/10/99(H3N2)-like virus and B/Sichuan/379/99-like virus."
Dr Sin explained that the vaccination programme was conducted before the end of the year to give sufficient time for elderly people to build up immunity against influenza before the usual seasonal peak around January to March.
The first four influenza vaccination programmes were successfully implemented between 1998 and 2000 with an overall coverage rate of over 80 per cent.
"The vaccine has been well tolerated in our past four exercises," Dr Sin said.