Get jabbed before travelling to shield against flu surge

Pandemic infection control measures have reduced seasonal influenza activities in recent years but lowered people’s natural immunity against flu at the same time. Vaccination against both COVID-19 and flu would be the best protection for everybody.

Hospital Authority (HA) Chief Infection Control Officer Dr Raymond Lai said low levels of flu activity since 2020 may be linked to social distancing, mask wearing, and hand hygiene. He suggested that the relaxation of social distancing measures could elevate the risk of flu transmissions, leading to potential co-circulation of flu and COVID-19 this winter.

The expectation of persistent low level of influenza activity in this winter may be an illusion as reflected by international trends. The data of flu in the Southern Hemisphere foreshadows what could be expected to happen in the Northern Hemisphere. Australia is currently experiencing its worst flu outbreak in five years with more than 220,000 cases, 300 deaths, and thousands of people hospitalised between April and October. Cases in the US, meanwhile, have surged since late September, and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has warned of a potentially severe flu season.

Dr Lai said experts expect flu to return to pre-pandemic levels and appealed to his HA colleagues to prepare and get a flu jab as soon as possible, especially in consideration of the low infection rate and vaccination rate of influenza last year.

“Some people mistakenly think that COVID-19 vaccines offer protection against flu as well,” he explains. “In fact, coronavirus and influenza are different types of viruses. The composition of the vaccines is unique, too. COVID-19 vaccines can be given before or after and in conjunction with seasonal influenza vaccines.”

With the lifting of compulsory quarantine requirements on arrival at Hong Kong, colleagues who will travel should receive a flu jab in particular to better protect themselves when outside Hong Kong, Dr Lai urged.