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World Immunisation Week: Timely Vaccinations Essential for Community Health, Warns Hong Kong Health Authorities

HK

World Immunisation Week: Timely Vaccinations Essential for Community Health, Warns Hong Kong Health Authorities
HK

HK

World Immunisation Week: Timely Vaccinations Essential for Community Health, Warns Hong Kong Health Authorities

2025-04-24 17:00 Last Updated At:17:08

DH supports World Immunisation Week by urging public to get vaccinated on time against serious threats posed by vaccine preventable diseases

In support of World Immunisation Week organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the last week of April every year, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (April 24) reminded the public that timely vaccinations can safeguard individual and community health from serious threats posed by vaccine-preventable diseases.

"Immunisation is a safe and effective public health measure. Over the past 50 years, vaccines are effective against diseases that have saved more than 150 million lives worldwide. Hong Kong has long been providing vaccinations for children since the 1950s. Building on the WHO's Expanded Programme on Immunisation and scientific evidence, the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme has been making continuous progress in terms of vaccine variety, vaccination schedules and service network coverage. With the support of parents, schools and the healthcare sector, Hong Kong maintains a very high vaccination coverage rate, which not only keeps most of the vaccine-preventable diseases under control, but also contributed to the eradication of smallpox and poliomyelitis in Hong Kong in 1980 and 2000 respectively, followed by successful elimination of measles and rubella (German measles) in Hong Kong in 2016 and 2021 respectively. In addition, the DH has been actively adopting a public-private partnership approach in providing vaccination services through private doctors to help parents and children receive the vaccines to increase the overall vaccination coverage. Taking the seasonal influenza vaccine as an example, the uptake rate of the vaccine for most age groups in the current season has increased as compared with the previous one," the Controller of the CHP of the DH, Dr Edwin Tsui said.

The Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) under the CHP makes recommendations on vaccines for different groups (e.g. children, pregnant women, the elderly etc) based on local epidemiology and the latest scientific evidence from a public health perspective. With reference to the recommendations of the SCVPD, the Government provides different types of vaccines and boosters for children from birth to Primary Six to protect them from 12 communicable diseases, as well as other vaccination services such as seasonal influenza vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, and the COVID-19 vaccines for people in high-risk groups to boost their immunity and reduce the risk of infection or severe complications.

"Due to a drop in vaccination coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a recent resurgence of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases outside Hong Kong. For example, measles cases in Europe, the United States and neighboring countries, such as Japan, Vietnam and Cambodia, are on the rise, where children who have not yet completed their vaccinations or have unknown vaccination status were mainly affected. For pertussis, the number of cases reported in Japan, the United States and New Zealand this year are also higher than that of the same period in previous years, with most of the affected cases being infants and adolescents, underscoring the importance of timely vaccinations for maintaining a high vaccination rate and herd immunity," Dr Tsui said.

He reminded the public to make sure that they have completed their required immunisation if they plan to visit places with outbreaks or high incidences of vaccine-preventable diseases. Anyone who has not completed immunisation or with an unknown vaccination history should consult his/her family doctor at least two weeks before travelling.

The incubation period of measles is seven to 21 days. Symptoms include fever, skin rash, cough, runny nose and red eyes. While for pertussis, the infected person may initially be sneezing and have a runny nose, a low-grade fever and a mild cough. The cough gradually becomes more severe and may even lead to seizures and coma in severe cases. If such symptoms appear after returning from places where measles and pertussis are endemic, people should wear surgical masks, stay home from work or school, avoid crowded places and seek medical advice as soon as possible.

For more information on the World Immunisation Week 2025, please visit the CHP website.

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Hong Kong Customs Launches Campaign Against Illicit Cigarettes in Tsing Yi Estates

2025-05-15 16:00 Last Updated At:16:08

Hong Kong Customs conducts interdepartmental anti-illicit cigarette publicity activities in Tsing Yi

Hong Kong Customs conducted a joint anti-illicit cigarette publicity campaign with members of the Kwai Tsing District Council, the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the Department of Health and the Housing Department (HD) at Cheung Hong Estate and Cheung Ching Estate in Tsing Yi today (May 15).

Customs officers promoted anti-illicit cigarette messages to residents, traders and security personnel at the Estates, including the Government's proposal to make amendments to the existing legislation to increase penalties for illicit cigarette-related offences, and also encouraged them to report suspected illicit cigarette trading activities to Customs.

If public rental housing units are found to be involved in illicit cigarette crimes, Customs will notify the HD for follow-up action after the conclusion of court proceedings. Customs reminds members of the public, especially young people, not to buy or sell illicit cigarettes or distribute illicit cigarette leaflets to avoid creating a criminal record that could affect their future.

Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at the source, as well as through its multipronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling, to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities. Also, Customs will strengthen publicity and education to remind the public not to take part in unlawful acts related to illicit cigarettes.

In accordance with the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years. Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

In accordance with the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371), no person shall distribute any smoking product advertisement (including any promotion leaflets). Any person who contravenes the regulation is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000. Members of the public may report any suspected activities of illicit cigarette leaflets distribution to TACO's hotline 2961 8823.

Hong Kong Customs conducts interdepartmental anti-illicit cigarette publicity activities in Tsing Yi   Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs conducts interdepartmental anti-illicit cigarette publicity activities in Tsing Yi Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs conducts interdepartmental anti-illicit cigarette publicity activities in Tsing Yi   Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs conducts interdepartmental anti-illicit cigarette publicity activities in Tsing Yi Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs conducts interdepartmental anti-illicit cigarette publicity activities in Tsing Yi   Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs conducts interdepartmental anti-illicit cigarette publicity activities in Tsing Yi Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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