One hundred and seventy people, comprising users of elderly services of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals in Eastern District and their family members, participated in a vaccination activity at Fong Shu Chuen Social Service Building in Shau Kei Wan today (September 18). The Chair Professor of the Department of Microbiology at the University of Hong Kong, Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, gave a briefing on COVID-19 vaccines to the elderly participants. A number of volunteer doctors also provided them with on-site one-on-one medical consultation.
 
     The Government’s outreach vaccination team provided the Sinovac vaccination service to the elderly at a temporary vaccination area in the building. Those who opted for the BioNTech vaccine were assisted by staff to make arrangements for vaccination.
 
     Attending the event with the Chairman of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Mr Kazaf Tam, to encourage more elderly persons to get vaccinated, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip, said, “Both COVID-19 vaccines available in Hong Kong are highly effective in protecting against severe diseases and death from COVID-19 infection. In view of the threat posed by mutant strains that carry higher transmissibility, members of the public, in particular the elderly, should protect themselves by getting vaccinated. There are misconceptions that it is not necessary to get vaccinated if people do not go out very often and it suffices for the younger generation to get vaccinated. As the winter influenza season is approaching, I appeal to the elderly to grasp the opportunity to receive COVID-19 vaccines immediately.
 
     “Reaching out to the community and focusing on the elderly are the priorities of the vaccination programme at this stage. I am grateful to Professor Yuen for giving a detailed briefing on COVID-19 vaccination to elderly persons. I hope that the elderly participants can tell their family members and other elderly persons what they have learned about COVID-19 vaccines today and share their own vaccination experience. If members of the public have family members who are elderly and are not vaccinated, please share the information on the COVID-19 vaccines with them and encourage them to receive vaccination. Each and every one of us in the community has to do our part to promote vaccination so as to attain a vaccination rate of 70 per cent or more.”
 
     Experts recommend that all elderly persons who have previously received influenza vaccines can safely receive COVID-19 vaccines. If they have chronic diseases, they should get vaccinated as soon as possible for protection while their condition is stable.
　　
     Mr Nip expressed his gratitude to the volunteer healthcare workers, and the medical team and administrative support staff of the Community Vaccination Centre at Tin Fai Road Sports Centre, for providing the outreach service today.