Hong Kong urges flu jabs for young children
HKFP · 1 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong parents are being urged to arrange influenza vaccinations for young children as flu activity continues to climb across the city during the summer season. Mike Kwan, an honorary clinical associate professor at the University of Hong Kong, said child flu-related hospitalisations have increased recently, with some young patients running fevers above 40 degrees Celsius for several days . The government’s 2026/27 vaccination programme is due to start on Thursday, offering free jabs to high-risk groups including children aged six months or older, pregnant women and the elderly . Ronald Lam, the director of health, said flu cases have shown a wave-like rise since June and that vaccination coverage remains especially low among children aged six months to two years .
Key Points
- Mike Kwan said on Commercial Radio on Monday that paediatric flu hospitalisations have risen recently, and some children had fevers exceeding 40 degrees Celsius for days .
- Kwan said Hong Kong is now in its summer flu season, which usually begins in June and has not yet reached its peak .
- He urged parents to vaccinate young children, saying influenza vaccination offers the strongest protection against serious illness .
- The 2026/27 Government Vaccination Programme starts this Thursday, with free vaccines for children aged six months or above, pregnant women and elderly people .
- Ronald Lam said vaccination coverage among children aged six months to two years was 27 per cent, below rates recorded among older children .
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong families, the immediate issue is that the current flu wave is still building, while the youngest children have the lowest vaccination uptake among paediatric age groups . With severe paediatric cases already recorded this year and most circulating viruses identified as Influenza A strains, early vaccination could reduce the risk of serious illness and pressure on hospitals .