HONG KONG – In a record high, over 1.86 million doses of the seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) were administered under various programs in the 2023-24 season, reaching a record high, according to Hong Kong’s health authorities.

The figure represents a 20 percent increase compared with the same period last year, the Department of Health said in a statement Monday night in response to media reports on SIV use.

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All children and adolescents aged below 18 years are covered by the special administrative region government’s vaccination programs, it said.

About 538,200 SIV doses were administered for children aged between six months and below 18 years under the Government Vaccination Programme as at June 2, said the Department of Health

For the current SIV season, around 350 secondary schools, 630 primary schools and 890 kindergartens and child care centers have enrolled in the SIV School Outreach (Free of Charge) Programme and the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme School Outreach (Extra Charge Allowed), accounting for about 70 percent, 95 percent and 80 percent of the schools concerned across Hong Kong, respectively.

As of June 2, about 538,200 doses of the SIV were administered for children aged between six months and below 18 years under the Government Vaccination Programme, reaching a record high and increasing by about 36.9 percent on last year, according to the statement.

Given its publicity efforts, the number of students receiving the jab in 2023-24 has significantly increased compared to last year, the department added.

The overall vaccine coverage rate meanwhile has reached 52.9 percent.

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The department stressed that according to the recommendations of the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) under the Centre for Health Protection, both injectable inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV) and the nasal live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) are safe and can offer comparable protection.

There is no scientific evidence yet supporting the priority use of the nasal LAIV, it added.

According to the current arrangement under the free SIV school outreach program, kindergarten and child care centers can choose to receive the injectable IIV or nasal LAIV, and that sufficient vaccines were provided to those which chose the nasal LAIV.

Only about a quarter of the kindergartens and child care centers that participated in the free SIV school outreach program chose to use the nasal LAIV, according to the statement.

Based on past experience, the schools and healthcare providers participating in the outreach program will consider factors such as parental preference, side effects and contraindications of influenza vaccines when selecting the vaccines for outreach vaccination activities, it added.

People suitable for receiving IIV and LAIV vaccine are different, the department said, adding that there are more restrictions for receiving nasal spray vaccines with more points to note, and the shelf-life is also shorter.

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The seasonal influenza vaccines for this season will be expired from July and the 2024-25 SIV programs are expected to start in September.

The department will formulate the implementation details for the 2024-25 season, including the best mode of operation and types of vaccine to be provided, with reference to survey results against schools and doctors participating in the 2024 school outreach programs, and latest recommendations and experience of the SCVPD and health authorities of other areas.