Starting Monday, residents can get their annual influenza vaccination free of charge at local health centres or health stations, the Health Bureau (SSM) announced in a statement yesterday.
According to the statement, the 2024-2025 Influenza Vaccination Programme has completed vaccinating more than 109,00 people at high risk of influenza between September 23 to Wednesday. In order to further expand the immunity barrier for the community, the bureau will provide the existing influenza vaccine for free to all residents, until the vaccine is finished.
For those who are high-risk and their companions, they can get the jabs without prior appointment, the statement said, adding that for residents who are non-high-risk, they should make an appointment through the bureau’s online system at https://www.ssm.gov.mo/infrs, or call the city’s health centres for appointment from Monday.
According to the statement, the 2024-2025 seasonal influenza vaccination campaign covers local residents aged between six months and under 18 years old, persons aged 50 or above, pregnant and breastfeeding women, those suffering from chronic diseases, obese persons with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or above, persons working in casinos and those in urgent need to travel outside Macau, as well as local and non-local residents who are students and staff of nurseries, kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, tertiary education institutions, service users and staff of residential care homes, all healthcare workers and other personnel deemed necessary by the bureau to be vaccinated, such as those working in the public sector.
The majority of severe influenza illnesses and deaths in Macau are among elderly people who have not been vaccinated against the flu, particularly those with chronic illnesses, the bureau said, urging all eligible persons, in particular high-risk individuals, to get the new season’s influenza vaccination as early as possible to protect their health, regardless of whether they had last season’s influenza vaccination or not.
This poster provided by the Health Bureau (SSM) yesterday recommends the flu, PCV and novel coronavirus vaccinations that senior citizens should get.
