Press Releases
SFH on human swine flu
Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and
Health, Dr York Chow, at a media stand-up session at the Legislative Council
Building today (July 13):
Reporter: (about the Filipino maid with human swine flu and the emergency
response level)
Secretary for Food and Health: I do not have the detailed information
regarding this particular patient, but I think she is still in a critical
condition in the intensive care unit of the United Christian Hospital.
Whether Hong Kong has a fatal case or not will not affect our emergency
measures at the moment. Of course, we will investigate the nature of the
virus. We are doing genetic sequencing to see whether there is any
significant change of the virus.
Reporter: (about the concerns of the new vaccine)
Secretary for Food and Health: As far as our contract for the procurement of
vaccine is concerned, our tendering document has certain conditions
requiring the supplier to comply with certain quality and safety standards.
This is to make sure that they have acquired the registration from the
relevant authorities before we will use it on our general public. We will
also inform the general public about the quality of this vaccine and any
possibility of side-effects, and explain to them the requirement to receive
the vaccine, particularly for those who have risk factors like whether they
are extremes of age, people with chronic illnesses, or whether they are
pregnant women. I think this is important to note that it is for the
protection of the public that we acquire such vaccine and it is important
for the public to understand the risk before they make a decision.
Reporter: (about the vaccines for human swine flu and seasonal flu)
Secretary for Food and Health: According to the experts, there is no
contradiction for having two vaccines being given even close together. The
only consideration in our cases is availability of the vaccine. According to
our procurement procedure, I think by the end of October, we will be able to
obtain seasonal flu vaccine. We can follow the usual schedule of
immunisation for seasonal flu at the end of this year, that is roughly the
end of October or early November. Regarding the human swine flu vaccine, it
all depends on when we are able to obtain it. Our aim is to obtain it before
the end of the year so that we can start vaccination as early as December.
Reporter: If we don't have anyone come forward to bid the tender...�}
Secretary for Food and Health: When we plan this condition, we have explored
the market and we feel that there is an opportunity that we can actually get
suitable vaccine. But just in case if we do not have anybody bidding for
this tendering exercise, then we have to go for re-tendering.
(Please also refer to the
Chinese session of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, July 13, 2009
Issued at HKT 14:31
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