January 31, 2004
From 2pm on Monday (February 2), Hong Kong live poultry workers may receive free vaccination for personal protection against influenza at one of the 16 designated general out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority, a spokesman for the Department of Health said today (January 31).
The Advisory Committee on Immunization, at a meeting yesterday, endorsed the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s recommendation that all persons exposed to infected chickens or to farms under suspicion should receive influenza vaccination to avoid simultaneous infection by human influenza. The committee also noted that Hong Kong has no reported human case of H5 influenza currently. Nonetheless, the committee recommended poultry workers to receive vaccination for personal protection against influenza.
The spokesman said the vaccination programme covers about 6000 chicken and pigeon farmers and market/street live poultry stall keepers. They will start receiving invitations from DH through their contacts from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), encouraging them to receive the vaccination at a Hospital Authority clinic as early as possible in the coming week.
The 16 designated clinics of the Hospital Authority are:
|
|
Clinic
|
Address
|
Telephone
|
|
Hong Kong
|
Aberdeen Jockey Club Clinic* | 10 Aberdeen Reservoir Road, Aberdeen | 2555 0381/2 |
| Sai Ying Pun Jockey Club Polyclinic* | 134 Queen's Road West, Sai Ying Pun | 2859 8204 | |
| Shau Kei Wan Jockey Club Clinic* | 8 Chai Wan Road, Shaukeiwan | 2560 0211 | |
|
Kowloon
|
Central Kowloon Health Centre* | 147 Argyle Street, Kowloon | 2762 1456 |
| Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club Clinic* | 145 Battery Street, Yau Ma Tei | 2272 2400 | |
| Kowloon Bay Health Centre | 9 Kai Yan Street, Kowloon Bay |
2116 2811/
2116 2812 |
|
| Tseung Kwan O (Po Ning Road) Health Centre* | G/F, 28 Po Ning Road, Tseung Kwan O | 2191 1083 | |
| East Kowloon Polyclinic | 160 Hammer Hill Road, Diamond Hill | 2320 4240 | |
| Shek Kip Mei Health Centre | 2 Berwick Street, Shek Kip Mei | 2788 3023 | |
| South Kwai Chung Jockey Club Polyclinic | 310 Kwai Shing Circuit, Kwai Chung | 2419 1747 | |
| Tung Chung Health Centre* | 1/F, 6 Fu Tung Street, Tung Chung, Lantau Island | 2109 6830 | |
|
New Territories
|
Yuen Chau Kok Clinic | G/F, 29 Chap Wai Kon Street, Shatin | 2647 3383 |
| Tai Po Jockey Club Clinic* | G/F, 37 Ting Kok Road, Tai Po | 2664 2039 | |
| Fanling Family Medicine Centre | 1/F, Fanling Health Centre, 2 Pik Fung Road, Fanling | 2639 4601 | |
| Yuen Long Jockey Club Health Centre* | 269 Castle Peak Road, Yuen Long | 2476 0221/3 | |
| Yan Oi Polyclinic | 6 Tuen Lee Street, Tuen Mun | 2458 9311 |
* with evening clinic (6pm - 10pm)
Upon presentation of the form issued by DH, people who are to be vaccinated will be given the vaccine on the same day as far as possible, or be given an appointment at a later date.
Staff of AFCD and FEHD who are in regular contact with poultry or are expected to be involved in avian influenza prevention and control activities will also be encouraged to receive vaccination at the above clinics. We expect around the same number of staff to be covered in this exercise.