The Centre for Health Protection’s Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases today recommended that citizens receive the seasonal influenza vaccine as Hong Kong has entered the flu season.

The committee noted that as local seasonal influenza activity remained at low levels over the past three years, flu immunity in the local community as a whole may be relatively weaker than in the past.

Given that the seasonal influenza vaccine offers protection against the flu and its complications, members of the public, except those with known contraindications, should receive the jab annually for personal protection.

The committee suggested that the priority groups for receiving the seasonal flu vaccine in the 2023-24 season should be the same as the last season, ie healthcare workers, people aged 50 years or above, pregnant women, residential care home residents and those with chronic medical problems, among others.

As for vaccine types, inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV), the live attenuated influenza vaccine (nasal vaccine), and recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV) are recommended for use in Hong Kong.

The committee made the vaccine recommendations after reviewing available evidence, World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations and overseas practices.

Both IIV and RIV are recommended for use in residential care homes. RIV, which may offer improved protection against influenza illness in older adults, is preferred for elderly care home residents when available.

Additionally, the committee suggested that the composition of the seasonal influenza vaccines for the upcoming 2023-24 season should follow the WHO’s recommendations for the 2023-24 Northern Hemisphere influenza season.