'Get your kids jabbed against the flu before November'
The Hospital Authority on Tuesday urged parents to get flu shots for their children no later than November.  It revealed almost 250 flu cases had broken out in childcare centres and kindergartens since the summer flu season began in August.  At a press conference, the authority noted that in the past few weeks, there had also been a surge of flu-related hospitalisations among those aged under 17. So far this year, 21 cases of seasonal influenza with severe complications have been reported among people under 17 – five of which had died.   Officials said only a quarter of the affected individuals had received the flu jab. Anne Kwok, an associate consultant at the Hong Kong Children's Hospital, said the emphasis on Covid-19 control and prevention measures over the past three years may have led to a decrease in community awareness against the flu, resulting in fewer people getting their flu shots. She said the winter flu season is likely to begin in January and advised children, especially those under nine, to take the shots no later than November.  “This is a golden opportunity for the children to get the vaccine, especially for children aged nine or below who have never received a vaccine before.  "They need to get two doses of the flu vaccine which need to be taken four weeks apart. And it takes at least two weeks for the vaccines to take effect. So if your kids take the vaccine today, it takes at least six weeks for them to develop immunity against the flu,” Kwok said.  The government rolled out a free influenza vaccination scheme for eligible SAR residents earlier this month, which includes those aged between 6 months and 18 years.  Kwok said the response to the scheme has been positive.  “When [parents] come to the clinic they actually asked about the influenza vaccination. We have quite a good response from the clinic but haven’t got the official total figure yet,” she added.