Hospitals To Follow Airport Lead Over Measles Jabs

Health officials are planning to start offering hospital staff vaccinations against measles, sources have told RTHK, because of an outbreak centred on Chek Lap Kok.

The Under Secretary for Health, Chui Tak-yee, said it would be an appropriate move to offer hospital staff measles vaccines if they are not already protected against the highly contagious illness, now that 20 cases have been diagnosed in Hong Kong since the beginning of the year.

Chui said hospital workers have a greater chance than other people of coming into contact with those infected with measles.

Meanwhile, at the airport a second vaccination centre has been set up after some staff complained they were struggling to book an appointment to be vaccinated.

Hundreds of airport workers were given the jabs over the weekend, and long queues were reported.

Chapman Fong, the general manager of terminal one, said they have also increased efforts to disinfect public areas.

"We have stepped up all the measures in toilets, in the public environment, particularly those areas which are accessible by the public," Fong said.

The government said it would keep in touch with drug companies to make sure there are adequate vaccines in the city.

The 20 cases of measles reported so far this year is higher than the total annual figures in the city for the past five years, with the outbreak coming amid a resurgence of the disease worldwide.

Measles can lead to complications that include swelling of the brain, pneumonia and blindness.