Hongkongers should get Covid XBB variant jabs, flu shots ahead of Lunar New Year amid higher outbreak risk, medical expert says
- Professor Ivan Hung says about 80 per cent of cases at Queen Mary Hospital’s isolation ward are related to Covid-19
- Hung says ‘useless to get more Sinovac boosters’, advises residents to opt for BioNTech or Moderna mRNA booster
Hongkongers should get vaccinated with the latest generation of Covid-19 jabs and flu shots ahead of Lunar New Year, as the risk of an outbreak will be higher amid a surge in social gatherings, a medical expert has said.
Ivan Hung Fan-ngai, chair professor of infectious diseases at the University of Hong Kong, on Saturday said about 80 per cent of cases in the isolation ward of Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam were related to Covid-19, while there was only one report of a flu infection.
The flu outbreak was waning after peaking last month, with patients being mostly elderly residents or people with chronic diseases.
“Although the number of severe flu cases was comparatively less, we should not let down our guard. The number of cases will probably go up during the Lunar New Year holiday as there will be more movement,” he said on a radio programme, referring to cross-border travel.
He urged those under high-risk groups to avoid crowded places and wear masks on public transport.
“There is still enough time to get vaccinated before the Lunar New Year holiday. Children, the elderly and patients with chronic illnesses should get a booster jab against Covid and the flu as soon as possible,” he said.
