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With Covid-19 numbers easing, the crowds are back in Causeway Bay, on September 13. As the winter flu season draws closer, the focus must be on influenza vaccines to reduce the risk of public hospitals being overwhelmed by both flu and Covid-19 patients. Photo: Edmond So
OpinionLetters

Letters | Hong Kong third wave: with Covid-19 set to meet winter flu, let nurses and pharmacists call the shots

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As the city is poised to enter a new influenza season amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, it becomes paramount for the public to be vaccinated against influenza to reduce the risk of public hospitals being overwhelmed by both flu and Covid-19 patients. While more public resources have been allocated in recent years for the promotion of flu shots in the community, the government must review its vaccination strategy that relies on general practitioners in private clinics and explore new technologies such as nasal sprays for more efficient inoculation.

In the 2018-19 influenza season, about 1.15 million people received flu shots, a significant increase relative to 781,900 in 2017-18. Yet, the overall vaccination rate is still about 15 per cent, highlighting the need for more promotional efforts. While the total number of flu shots administered only increased by 47 per cent, the subsidies for private doctors under the government vaccination schemes in 2018-19 reached HK$131 million, more than double the amount in 2017-18.

In contrast to the practice in private clinics, flu shots in public hospitals are administered by trained nurses under supervision of doctors. To reduce the labour costs of the flu vaccination programmes, the government should consider engaging more nurses to inoculate members of the public.

Rush for flu shots amid fears of influenza season colliding with pandemic

As many are put off by needle injections, nasal spray vaccines may serve as a less painful and more convenient alternative. According to the Department of Health, overseas research and experience suggests that the nasal spray vaccine is safe and offers a similar level of protection. A local survey also indicated that 55 per cent of parents preferred their children to be vaccinated by nasal sprays. Yet, in 2018-19, the government only procured 2,000 doses of nasal vaccine for small-scale trials.

We urge the government to place a mass order for the new vaccines at a lower cost, and consider the recommendations of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists that pharmacists be hired to administer intranasal vaccination to schoolchildren. More nurses and pharmacists should also be engaged to administer Covid-19 vaccines in Hong Kong when these are ready.

Rachel Yeo, Simon Wang, Kowloon Tong

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