Broader virus protection urged as 86% of Hong Kong toddlers yet to get flu jabs
Experts urge public to get vaccinated against both influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, citing higher risk of co-infection among high-risk groups this winter
More than 85 per cent of Hong Kong infants and toddlers remain unvaccinated against the flu, as medical experts urge broader immunisation against respiratory viruses, citing a higher risk of co-infection among especially vulnerable groups this winter.
Experts on Sunday warned that if the summer flu peak extended and overlapped with the winter season, respiratory viruses could remain highly active for an extended period.
They urged the public to get vaccinated against both influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to prevent simultaneous infections, which could increase the risk of severe illness and mortality.
David Hui Shu-cheong, a professor of respiratory medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said the summer flu peak was slowly receding and expected to bottom out by late November or early December.
However, he warned that the winter flu season, which typically occurs between January and March, could bring about another peak soon.
Hui noted that 1.33 million people had been vaccinated against the flu this year, 3.9 per cent more than in 2024, yet many young children, considered high-risk, remained unprotected.