Anti-measles plan enhanced

March 31, 2019

Centre for Health Protection Controller Dr Wong Ka-hing:
To recap, of the 100 blood test results, 86 of the tested people were found to have IgG antibody to measles positive, meaning that they are immune to the infection. And eight of them had an indeterminate result and six of them had a negative result. So we will focus the availability of the vaccine for those who are most in need of the vaccination. That is to say, taking reference from the blood result, for those who are born in 1967 or afterwards, and those who had not received two doses of vaccine before, or who had not had the measles disease before. And also among this group, we want to target those who are most in need, meaning that those who are living with a baby less than one-year-old or living with a pregnant woman. So with these criteria we will then, from Monday, have the vaccines be available for them to receive it.

The triage system for measles vaccination stations at Hong Kong International Airport will be enhanced to accord priority of the vaccine to those most in need.

The Centre for Health Protection made the announcement today after the results of its pilot programme, under which 100 airport staff were recruited to undergo a measles serology test, showed more than 85% of them are immune to the disease.

The centre’s controller Dr Wong Ka-hing told a press conference that of the 100 blood test results, 86 tested positive against measles antibody (IgG).

For the remaining 14 people, six tested negative and eight had indeterminate results.

Further analysis of the testing results indicates those who were born before 1967 are 100% immune to measles, irrespective of their place of birth.

For those born in or after 1967, a slightly higher proportion of people who had received one or more doses of measles vaccines were immune than those with an unsure vaccination history or were unvaccinated.

Dr Wong said that taking reference from the blood test results, the vaccination will focus on those born in 1967 or afterwards, and those who had not received two doses of the vaccine before, or who had not had the measles before.

“Also among this group, we want to target those who are most in need, meaning those who are living with a baby of less than one-year-old or living with a pregnant woman,” he said.

“So with these criteria we will then, from Monday, have the vaccines be available for them to receive it,” Dr Wong added.

From tomorrow to April 4, the quota for vaccination stations at the airport will be set at 500 doses daily.

Meanwhile, the centre is investigating a new case of measles infection involving a 23-year-old man who works at the airport.

The patient has had the measles vaccination and travelled to Shenzhen during the incubation period but had no travel history during the communicable period.

He did not have contact with measles patients during the incubation period and his home contacts have remained asymptomatic so far and have been put under medical surveillance.