HONG KONG: People who have contracted A (H1N1) flu should not be misled into believing that the virus confers immunity to future episodes, Under Secretary for Health Gabriel Leung said Friday.

The secretary urged everyone, including those who have already had swine flu, to be vaccinated in preparation for the coming peak flu season.

"Even for seasonal flu, not 100 percent of them get immunity to the virus," Leung said. He continued, saying that about one quarter to 75 percent of patients infected with seasonal flu will not be immune to a recurrence of the virus. Immunity, he said, is very much an individual matter and may be affected by the physical condition of patients.

He encourages people, even those who have recovered from swine flu, to receive the vaccinations which will be available in mid December. Those who belonged to any of the five high-risk groups are also urged to receive the vaccine.

The five groups considered to be at highest risk are healthcare workers; chronically ill patients and pregnant women; children aged from six months to under six years; the elderly aged 65 and above; and pig farmers and slaughterhouse workers.

Government will provide free vaccinations to people falling into any of those groups, who will be eligible to join the vaccination program in voluntary basis. The government already has bought three million doses of human swine flu vaccine from French manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur S.A. at HK$79 per dose on November 5. The first batch of 500,000 doses will be delivered by about mid-December.

The vaccination service would be available at clinics and services of the Hospital Authority and the Department of Health in addition to some private clinics which are willing to help.

Gabriel Leung expressed confidence that the Hong Kong government will be able to handle any sudden increase in the coming peak season of flu.

"We are having intensive contact with mainland authorities, especially with southern China," Leung said. "we'll definitely be prepared for that."

The winter peak flu season is still to come. According to Leung, the winter peak flu season will start around February or early March. Yet he said there may be an early shift in places of lower latitude and Southeast Asia. He said the government would be fully prepared both in outpatient and inpatient facilities to deal with the early shift. Those preparations include sufficient supplies of vaccines and the hospital beds.

(HK Edition 11/28/2009 page4)