Press Releases
SFH on human swine flu
Following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) made by the
Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, at a stand-up media session at
the Legislative Council Building today (June 10):
Reporter: So will Hong Kong have any corresponding measures once the WHO
raises the alert level?
Secretary for Food and Health: In fact, we are operating as if there is a
pandemic already. We are still having our measures at port health, hospital
and clinic levels. Of course we are also planning for a more serious winter
influenza and that��s why we put forth the proposal to Legco for the
vaccination programme. So in a way, we are already at the emergency level of
alert and also at the highest level of alert. But we will monitor what this
implication would be, in other countries, particularly whether there would
be any travel restrictions, whether there would be any significant changes
in some of the national policy in some of the countries, we will take
reference from that.
Reporter: Some of the lawmakers have just said the Government-proposed
vaccination programme is highly risky, because there might not be so many
people getting the vaccination?
Secretary for Food and Health: Of course we have explained to the
legislators that, in fact, there are a very few experts in the world who can
actually predict what will actually happen in winter. But based on
scientific analysis and prediction, we have to prepare for a serious flu
season this winter. And whether there would be an increase in the numbers of
hospitalisation and of mortality, and whether it would affect more at-risk
groups, so I think it is important for us to be determined, how we can
protect those at-risk groups as far as possible. Although we have to spend
up to a billion dollars on the whole vaccination programme, but I believe
this works for our insurance that we can actually afford and be able to give
some sense of comfort for our citizens this year. For the next year, then of
course, after the coming winter, we will be able to predict more precisely
about what will happen in the coming years.
(Please also refer to the
Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Issued at HKT 12:31
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