Hong Kong airport staff offered free measles jabs in bid to prevent outbreak

Three aircraft maintenance workers were recently found to have caught measles

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Measles jabs will be offered to airport staff from Friday. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 7:52pm, 23 Apr 2026

Health authorities will provide free measles vaccinations to Hong Kong airport workers from Friday, following the detection of three cases among aircraft maintenance staff.

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) warned on Thursday of the “relatively high” risk of measles transmission at the aviation hub, citing the high volume of travellers passing through there and the sizeable proportion of non-local-born workers who might not have received measles jabs in childhood.

“In order to prevent another measles outbreak among airport staff, the centre will set up a vaccination booth at the airport starting [on Friday] to provide local airport staff with free measles vaccination,” it said.

“The CHP and the Airport Authority Hong Kong will coordinate and arrange for eligible airport staff from various companies to visit the vaccination booth in an orderly manner.”

The drive aimed to strengthen herd immunity in the airport community of about 2,500 employees – including 900 not born in Hong Kong – and to safeguard public health, it added.

Dr Edwin Tsui says the patients did not know if they had been vaccinated against measles. Photo: Edmond So

Epidemiological data collected showed that about 30 per cent of employees were uncertain of their immunity status against measles.

Hong Kong airport staff offered free measles jabs in bid to prevent outbreak

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Three aircraft maintenance workers were recently found to have caught measles

Three aircraft maintenance workers were recently found to have caught measles