'Give Measles Jab To Domestic Workers, Immigrants'

A member of Legco's health services panel Kwok Ka-ki has urged the government to expand its measles vaccination to include domestic helpers and mainland immigrants.

Kwok said as domestic helpers are in close contact with children who may not have received the vaccination yet, this is essential.

"A lot of these domestic workers, no matter whether they come from the Philippines or Indonesia, they may not have been given the vaccines," he said.

The lawmaker and doctor also said that helpers may also be exposed to the disease when they mix with their friends at the weekend.

He said the government should also offer the vaccination to new arrivals from the mainland.

"We have more than one million new immigrants, chiefly from mainland China, and they may not have had the chance to have the full vaccination programme. So they will be at risk," he said.

Hong Kong authorities have taken steps to vaccinate airport workers after an outbreak of measles in the city.

Kwok told RTHK's Janice Wong that his suggestion to widen the vaccination cover will help Hong Kong as the number of measles cases is rising globally.