Press Releases
Influenza Vaccination Subsidy Scheme announced
The Government will provide a subsidy for influenza vaccinations to young
children under the Influenza Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (IVSS) to be implemented
from November 1 to March 31, 2009.
The Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, said today (July 30) that the
Government would introduce the new IVSS in 2008-09 for eligible children to get
vaccination service from private doctors at subsidised fee levels.
“Under the IVSS, children between the age of six months and less than six years
possessing Hong Kong resident status are eligible to receive a government
subsidy for influenza vaccination from November 1 this year to March 31, 2009.
“Children aged 6 or above who are Hong Kong residents and attending
kindergartens or children care centres are also eligible for the subsidy,” Dr
Chow said.
“Each eligible child is entitled to a Government subsidy of $80 per dose of
influenza vaccine received from private doctors enrolled in IVSS. Parents will
pay the enrolled private doctor the remaining fee after the $80 subsidy is
discounted. Two doses of influenza vaccine are normally required for a child who
has not received influenza vaccination before.
Private doctors who have enrolled in IVSS will display an IVSS logo at their
clinics. They will also put up in the clinic the fees charged for influenza
vaccination service for public reference.
Clinic addresses and telephone numbers of and prices of influenza vaccination
service charged by enrolled doctors under the IVSS will be posted on the website
of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) at
www.chp.gov.hk to facilitate
parents’ choice.
"CHP will send letters over the next week inviting private doctors to enrol on
the IVSS. We strongly encourage doctors to place early orders for influenza
vaccines from their suppliers to ensure adequate supplies," Dr Chow said.
Private doctors interested in participating in IVSS can submit enrolment
applications to the Department of Health (DH) from September 30.
The scientific basis for introducing IVSS stemmed from the latest recommendation
of CHP’s Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Dr Chow said.
The committee recommended that, in addition to the group of children aged six to
23 months, those aged from 2 to less than 6 years should receive vaccination
against influenza owing to their higher hospitalisation rate compared with the
general population.
The CHP has set up a hotline 2125 2125 to answer public enquiries on the scheme
from 9am to 5.30pm on weekdays.
When the Scheme begins on November 1, 2008, parents should bring along identity
documents of their children, such as Hong Kong Identity Card or birth
certificate, to participating doctors for verification. Those who are six or
above but attending kindergarten or child care centers should also provide
documents to prove their attendance at kindergarten or childcare centres.
For children aged between six months and less than six years from families
receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA), the Government will
provide free flu vaccination services to them through hospitals and clinics
under DH and Hospital Authority (HA). In addition, the Government will continue
to provide free flu vaccination services to the following eligible target groups
for the 2008-09 flu season through hospitals and clinics under DH and HA:
* elderly persons living in residential care homes;
* long-stay residents of institutions for the disabled;
* elderly persons aged 65 years or above with chronic illness and being followed
up in public clinics, as well as those aged 65 years or above receiving CSSA;
* persons under 65 years with chronic illness receiving CSSA, and some long-stay
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;
* poultry workers or staff who may be involved in poultry culling operations;
and
* pregnant women receiving CSSA.
Ends/Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:21
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