When does influenza vaccination 2026/27 start? It commences on 17 September — the free groups, the $260 subsidy and the vaccination arrangements

Last updated: 2026-09-13

The Centre for Health Protection announced on 31 August 2026 that the 2026/27 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes commence on 17 September. Hong Kong has been in an influenza season since late June; the programme year and the period of influenza activity are not the same thing. Eligible persons can be vaccinated through a free or a subsidised route; the influenza vaccine subsidy at a private doctor is $260 per dose, and extra fees may be charged on top of it. Eligible recipients aged 18 or above must register for eHealth. The Centre urged target groups on the same day to be vaccinated as soon as possible after the programmes begin; individual vaccination arrangements are assessed by healthcare professionals against medical history and the conditions for using the vaccine.

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#What is the influenza vaccine, and why is there a new season every year?

Influenza is a respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses, and the vaccine is used to lower the risk of influenza and its complications. The Centre for Health Protection's "Seasonal Influenza" page treats influenza separately from avian influenza and pandemic influenza; questions 33 to 35 of the 2026/27 influenza vaccine FAQs explain that it takes about two weeks after vaccination for the body to develop antibodies, and that the circulating strains change, so the vaccine composition is updated each year and vaccination is arranged by season.

The programme year is an arrangement for vaccination services, not the date on which the virus starts to spread. The Centre judges influenza activity from virus testing and hospital admission surveillance. The Government's announcement of 31 August 2026 states that over 2.03 million doses were administered under last year's programmes, and that this season continues to offer school, residential care home, public and private routes. What follows sets out the influenza season first, then the charges and eligibility.

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#Vaccination only starts on 17 September — so is it not yet the influenza season?

No. The programmes commence on 17 September, but on the Centre for Health Protection's own account Hong Kong has been in an influenza season since late June. The Centre's announcement of 31 August 2026, as printed:

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced today (August 31) that the 2026/27 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination (SIV) Programmes, including the SIV School Outreach Programme (SIVSOP), the Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme and the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS), will commence on September 17. Eligible persons can receive free or subsidised vaccinations through the SIV Programmes. As Hong Kong is currently in an influenza season and the new school year will soon begin, the CHP urged the public, particularly target groups, to receive SIVs as soon as possible after the SIV Programmes begin to safeguard their own health and that of their families.

In the same announcement, the statement by the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, sets out the timing:

"Hong Kong entered the influenza season in late June and influenza activity continued to rise from July through mid-August. According to the latest surveillance data, influenza activity remains high. Owing to influenza transmission in the community in recent months and the substantial rise in infections, the number of severe cases has increased accordingly. We anticipate that influenza activity will remain at a high level during the initial period of the new school year, with possible influenza outbreaks in schools. Therefore, schools and parents must remain vigilant and take preventive measures. So far the severe cases in this influenza season primarily affect the elderly and children. A total of 11 severe paediatric cases have been recorded. Among these cases, six patients have recovered and been discharged from hospital, one patient is in stable condition, one is in serious condition, two are in critical condition and one has passed away. The overall situation in the current influenza season is comparable to that of previous influenza seasons, and we must keep vigilant," said the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui.

In other words, the 2026/27 programmes begin in the middle of an influenza season that is already running. The Centre's COVID-19 & Flu Express, Volume 4, Number 36, published on 10 September, places the two facts side by side on the same page: one line reads "Hong Kong is in influenza season. The latest surveillance data showed that the overall influenza activity continued to increase.", and another states that the "2026/27 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination (SIV) Programmes … will commence on September 17".

The time range of the surveillance figures in this article is the week 36 report published on 10 September 2026. That issue still states that Hong Kong is in an influenza season; it does not announce an end date for the season, and it offers no guarantee about the trend afterwards.

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#How is an "influenza season" defined? How does it differ from "2026/27"?

These are two different clocks: "2026/27" is the programmes' administrative year, while the "influenza season" is a surveillance judgment the Centre makes against statistical baselines. In the notes to COVID-19 & Flu Express Volume 4 Number 36 (referred to below as the Flu Express), the Centre states how it judges whether Hong Kong has entered an influenza season:

[Notes: The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health closely monitors the local seasonal influenza activity through a series of surveillance systems. Among them, the CHP sets threshold levels for two important influenza indicators, including the positive percentage of influenza detections among respiratory specimens and the admission rate of patients diagnosed with influenza in public hospitals. These threshold levels are calculated statistically based on data collected for both indicators in the past years during non-season periods. Using these thresholds, the CHP assesses the current local situation of seasonal influenza with higher accuracy and determines whether Hong Kong enters influenza season. The CHP annually reviews and analyses the latest surveillance data, and updates these threshold levels where appropriate. The sensitivity of the surveillance system is enhanced with the updated thresholds of positive percentage of influenza detection and admission rate of higher coherence.]

The Centre makes its surveillance judgment by reference to the virus positive percentage, the admission rate and their statistical baselines; an influenza season is not the same as the administrative year of the vaccination programmes.

The local situation section of the same issue states:

Local Situation of Influenza Activity (as of Sep 9, 2026)
Reporting period: Aug 30 – Sep 5, 2026 (Week 36)
Hong Kong is in influenza season. The latest surveillance data showed that the overall influenza activity continued to increase.

As for the usual seasonal distribution, question 1 of the Centre's "Frequently Asked Questions on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine for the 2026-27 Season in Hong Kong" page (revision date 2026/08/31) states: "Influenza occurs in Hong Kong throughout the year, but is usually more common in periods from January to April and from July to August."

The Centre's "Seasonal Influenza" page (25 February 2025) puts the usual distribution this way:

Seasonal influenza is a common respiratory tract infection caused by human seasonal influenza viruses. It is totally different from avian influenza and influenza pandemic. In Hong Kong, seasonal influenza is usually more common in periods from January to March/April and from July to August.

⚠️ "Usually more common" is a description of the past distribution; it does not say that a season cannot occur in other months. The current season began in week 26 of 2026 (late June), which falls precisely before the July-August peak those two pages describe. The announcement of 31 August also closes with a sentence from Dr Edwin Tsui: "Hong Kong typically experiences an influenza season during the first quarter of every year".

So what does the official position say about the "most optimal time for vaccination"? Question 33 of the FAQ page above states:

The Scientific Committee on Vaccine Prevention Diseases (SCVPD) recommended that October-November is the most optimal time for vaccination. Since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza virus infection, it is advised to get vaccinated at least two weeks before the onset of the main influenza season. However, even if seasonal influenza vaccination is not received before the recommended period, it can still be received as soon as possible.

That is the FAQ page's account of the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases' recommendation. The Committee's own document, listed on the Centre's index page under the title "Recommendations on Seasonal Influenza Vaccination for the 2026-27 Season in Hong Kong (As of March 2026) (Updated on 21 August 2026)", closes paragraph 24 with this sentence: "October-November is the most optimal time for vaccination." That general seasonal recommendation has to be read together with the announcement of 31 August 2026: Hong Kong was already in an influenza season at the time, and the Centre urged target groups to be vaccinated as soon as possible after the new programme year commences on 17 September; October to November should not be generalised into a requirement to wait until October. The same paragraph also states that one of the bases for the recommendation is local epidemiological data indicating elevated influenza activity from January to April and from July to August.

⚠️ This article makes no statement about when any individual should be vaccinated, or whether anyone should be vaccinated — it sets out only what the official documents say.

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#This season's figures: how does the official source print them?

The Centre publishes the Flu Express weekly; this article cites Volume 4, Number 36, published on 10 September 2026, with data as of 9 September 2026 and a reporting period of 30 August to 5 September (week 36). On virus testing, as printed:

Among the 10,478 respiratory specimens* received in week 36, 1,367 (13.05%) were tested positive for seasonal influenza A or B viruses. Among the subtyped influenza detections, there were 1,088 (82%) influenza A(H1), 181 (14%) influenza A(H3) and 55 (4%) influenza B viruses. The positive percentage (13.05%) was above the baseline threshold of 4.94% and was higher than 11.17% recorded in the previous week (Figure 2.2).

⚠️ Where those 10,478 specimens come from is set out in the footnote on the same page: " Including 9,971 specimens received by Public Health Laboratory Services Branch, Centre for Health Protection and 507 specimens received by the Hospital Authority."* This is the positive percentage of laboratory specimens, not an infection rate for the whole population.

⚠️ On the same page, between the notes quoted above and that "*" footnote, one further remark is printed:

Remarks: Some specimens may contain vaccine strains from people with recent history of receiving live-attenuated influenza vaccine

That is, on the Centre's own wording, some of those 1,367 positive specimens may be vaccine virus strains in people who have recently received live attenuated influenza vaccine.

On outbreaks and severe cases, one thing needs particular attention: the same report prints two sets of cumulative figures for the same season, counted in different ways. As printed, first the cumulative count from the start of the season:

In week 36, 46 ILI outbreaks occurring in schools/institutions were recorded (affecting 267 persons), as compared to 29 outbreaks recorded in the previous week (affecting 247 persons) (Figure 2.3). The overall number was at the medium intensity level currently (Figure 2.4*). In the first 4 days of week 37 (Sep 6 to 9), 78 ILI outbreaks in schools/institutions were recorded (affecting 406 persons). Since the start of the influenza season in week 26, 371 outbreaks were recorded (as of Sep 9).

After the outbreak table (Figure 2.3) on the same page comes a different basis — a like-for-like comparison counted over "11 complete weeks":

In comparison, 169 to 942 outbreaks were recorded in the same duration of surveillance (11 complete weeks) in the 2023 to 2025 seasons, as compared with 293 outbreaks in the current season (Figure 2.5).

That is to say: 371 is the cumulative total since entering the influenza season in week 26, as of 9 September; 293 is the figure for the like-for-like comparison with the 2023 to 2025 seasons, counted over 11 complete weeks. The two figures cannot be substituted for one another, and cannot be set side by side as though on the same basis; the purpose of the second is to be read alongside the range of the past three seasons. Adult severe cases likewise come in two sets: the report states that 543 adult cases of ICU admission or death with laboratory confirmation of influenza were recorded during the influenza season (349 of them fatal, as of 9 September); counted over 11 complete weeks, the current season stands at 499 cases and 319 deaths, while the 2023 to 2025 seasons over the same duration were 336 to 488 cases and 223 to 332 deaths.

⚠️ There are three different figures for severe paediatric cases, from different cut-off dates and different ways of counting, and they are not interchangeable. First, page 16 of Flu Express Volume 4 Number 36 (published on 10 September) states the cumulative count by season: "During the influenza season, 17 paediatric cases of influenza-associated complication/death were reported, in which one of them was fatal", with a cut-off date of 9 September. Second, the like-for-like comparison over 11 complete weeks printed on the same page is 16 cases (10 to 18 over the same duration in the 2023 to 2025 seasons); that is the figure in the third column of the table above, not the cumulative count by season. Third, the Government press release of 10 September at 7.45pm states: "Since the current influenza season started in late June, a cumulative total of 19 cases of severe paediatric influenza infection have been recorded to date. Among these cases, nine patients have recovered and been discharged from hospital, five patients are in stable condition, two are in serious condition, two are in critical condition and one has passed away" (9 + 5 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 19, of which 1 death). The press release has a later cut-off date than the report, so the figure is larger; 19 belongs in no column of the table above, and this article does not add it into the column of cumulative figures by season. The 11 cases in the announcement of 31 August quoted earlier are the same statistic at an earlier cut-off date; this article keeps that date as printed, and it should not be set alongside the three figures above for comparison.

The same Flu Express carries a further figure counted by calendar year: "In 2026, 25 paediatric cases of influenza-associated complication/death were reported, in which one of them was fatal (as of Sep 9)" — that is counted by the 2026 calendar year, not by season.

The weekly surveillance figures have cut-off dates. This article uses the complete-week data of the week 36 report, together with the partial data for the first four days of week 37 (6 to 9 September) carried in that report; the two cannot be treated as two complete weeks for comparison.

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#What do the 2026/27 programmes include, and how do they work?

The "2026/27 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes" is a collective term, and the announcement of 31 August states that it includes three things: the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach Programme, the Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme and the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (the original wording is quoted in the first section above), while the "Government Vaccination Programme" separately provides vaccination at public venues. Apart from enquiry details, the body of the Centre's "Government Vaccination Programme (GVP) 2026/27" page (revision date 2026/08/31) consists of two sentences only:

The Government Vaccination Programme (GVP) 2026/27 will commence on 17 September 2026.

Various eligible groups for seasonal influenza vaccination will be covered. The pneumococcal vaccination for the elderly continues throughout the year. For details, please refer to posters below.

The consolidated table of eligible groups and vaccination venues is at the annex to the press release of 31 August. The sections below set them out from that annex and from the age-band programme pages.

How does it work administratively? The Centre's "Vaccination Subsidy Scheme - Medical Practitioner 2026/27" page (revision date 2026/08/31) states:

The Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS) is a scheme that provides subsidised seasonal influenza vaccination and pneumococcal vaccination to eligible Hong Kong residents through the participation of private doctors. The Government reimburses subsidy to enrolled doctors for providing vaccinations to eligible persons. On top of the Government's subsidy, enrolled doctors may impose extra charge for the vaccination.

That is to say: the subsidy is paid by the Government to doctors enrolled in the scheme and deducted from the fee; whether the doctor may charge more after that deduction is stated on the page itself — "may impose extra charge". The same page also states that "The Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS) 2026-27 will commence on 17 September 2026" and that "The Pneumococcal Vaccination Programme for the elderly will continue throughout the year."

eHealth is a condition, not a suggestion. Question 45 of the FAQ page, as printed:

The general public is encouraged to register for eHealth prior to vaccination. Persons aged 18 or above must register for eHealth to be eligible for subsidised or free seasonal influenza vaccination. You may use "express registration for eHealth" at the vaccination sites. For e-health registration details, please refer to the eHealth website .

Under "Making good use of eHealth", the announcement of 31 August states: "Starting from last year, eligible individuals aged 18 or above must register for eHealth to join the SIV Programmes or receive subsidised SIV." So this requirement is not new this year.

This year's procurement figures. The Government announcement of 5 August 2026 states:

This year, the Government has procured approximately 1.3 million doses of vaccines for the SIV Programmes. Two licensed wholesale dealers of pharmaceutical products were awarded the contracts for the following four types of vaccines. All of them are trivalent seasonal influenza vaccines recommended by the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases under the Centre for Health Protection of the DH. The influenza vaccines components also align with that as recommended by the World Health Organization for the 2026/27 northern hemisphere influenza season:

The same announcement sets them out by product: Sanofi (i) Vaxigrip Trivalent Influenza Vaccine, approximately 660 000 doses; Sinovac (ii) Anflu Influenza Vaccine, approximately 530 000 doses; AstraZeneca Flumist Trivalent Influenza Intranasal Vaccine, approximately 60 000 doses; Sanofi Flublok Trivalent Influenza Vaccine, approximately 60 000 doses.

⚠️ Immediately below that table, the announcement prints a note of its own:

Note: Depending on the supply arrangements of the successful bidders, vaccine (i) and vaccine (ii) are expected to arrive in Hong Kong in batches starting in mid-October and late August respectively.

In the table, (i) is Sanofi's Vaxigrip at approximately 660 000 doses, the largest single product of this year's procurement; (ii) is Sinovac's Anflu at approximately 530 000 doses. That is, on the wording of that announcement, the largest batch is expected to arrive in batches only from mid-October, after the programmes commence on 17 September, while (ii), approximately 530 000 doses, is expected to arrive in batches from late August. The note mentions only (i) and (ii); the other two products in the table — Flumist at approximately 60 000 doses and Flublok at approximately 60 000 doses — carry no wording at all about arrival timing.

A separate item is a pilot scheme, whose allocation rises from 100 000 doses to 300 000 doses. The scheme is named differently in the two announcements: the announcement of 5 August calls it the "Pilot Scheme on Vaccine Procurement for Family Doctors", while that of 31 August calls it the "Pilot Scheme on Vaccine Procurement for Doctors". The 100 000 to 300 000 figures cited in this article come from the announcement of 5 August, as printed:

In addition, the Government launched the Pilot Scheme on Vaccine Procurement for Family Doctors (Pilot Scheme) in 2025/26, which received a positive response. With the experience gained from the Pilot Scheme, the Government will continue to implement the Pilot Scheme in the 2026/27 and strengthen the related arrangements, including (1) increasing the number of influenza vaccine doses available for procurement by eligible doctors from 100 000 to 300 000 (including Sanofi's IIV and Sinovac's IIV); (2) expanding the eligibility groups to include doctors who participate in the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS) and at least one other Government-subsidised primary healthcare programme; and (3) streamlining the overall workflow arrangements and simplifying the process for consenting to participate in the VSS. The above measures will help further enhance the stability of the vaccine supply in the private market and encourage eligible members of the public to receive vaccinations.

The two figures are stated separately within the same announcement. The sentence about approximately 1.3 million doses says of itself that they are "for the SIV Programmes"; the pilot scheme paragraph begins with "In addition" and closes with "The above measures will help further enhance the stability of the vaccine supply in the private market and encourage eligible members of the public to receive vaccinations." ⚠️ The announcement does not state by any arithmetic whether those 300 000 doses are included within the approximately 1.3 million or counted separately, so this article does not add the two figures together.

Vaccination venues. The announcement of 31 August states that the Government will continue to open all 29 Maternal and Child Health Centres under the Department of Health for all eligible children aged six months to under two years; that the number of vaccination venues provided by the District Health Centres and District Health Centre Expresses and their service points has increased from 25 to 45; and that 76 Family Medicine Clinics and 38 public hospitals under the Hospital Authority will also provide services. On the private side, as printed:

Furthermore, over 1 200 private doctors have participated in the VSS currently, providing services at over 1 900 service points across all districts in Hong Kong. For the list of VSS doctors, please visit apps.hcv.gov.hk/public/en/SPS/Search .

List of participating doctors: List of Enrolled Healthcare Service Providers of the eHealth System (Subsidies). The service point counts in the text are the statistics in the press release of 31 August, not the result of a live search.

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#How much does the Government subsidise? Is the subsidy the price of the jab?

No. The subsidy is an amount deducted from the fee; it is not a price. For the 2026-27 season, the Centre's "Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (Outreach) – Other Institutions and Community Groups" page (revision date 2026/08/31; that page is about outreach activities organised by institutions and community groups at non-clinic settings) prints:

Subsidy level of one dose of SIV in HK$260. For PV, the subsidy level is HK$400 per dose for 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, and $800 per dose for 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Some doctors may impose extra fees on the top of the subsidy, some doctors may not charge extra fees.

Free services and subsidised services have to be kept apart. The subsidised route applies to doctors enrolled in the scheme; the amount actually payable may be zero, or may require a top-up. The $260 subsidy alone does not yield the amount you actually pay.

The pneumococcal arrangements carry separate age and risk conditions; the subsidy level does not let you pick a vaccine at will. The arrangements above are for eligible elderly persons aged 65 or above. The Centre's "Pneumococcal Vaccination" page separately sets out a free route: persons with high-risk conditions, recipients of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance or holders of a valid Certificate for Waiver of Medical Charges issued by the Social Welfare Department can be vaccinated free at public clinics; some clinics provide the service only for their existing patients, service users or members. Individual doses must be assessed by a healthcare professional together with past vaccination records.

This article does not set out the amount actually payable at any individual clinic. None of the five source pages for the subsidy levels in this article — the outreach page, the persons aged 50 or above page, the persons aged 18 to 49 page, the pneumococcal page and the doctors' scheme page — sets out an amount actually payable for an individual service or a uniform ceiling. That scope limit does not mean every clinic charges extra.

The pneumococcal timetable differs from influenza. The "Pneumococcal Vaccination" page states: "The Government's Pneumococcal Vaccination Programme will continue throughout the year, providing free or subsidised pneumococcal vaccination for eligible elderly aged 65 years or above."

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#Who can be vaccinated free or with a subsidy?

The Centre prints the arrangements on separate pages group by group, and the press release of 31 August carries a further one-page consolidated annex; each paragraph below states which document it is drawn from. The "Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (Outreach)" page lists the Hong Kong residents eligible for subsidised influenza vaccination at outreach activities in the 2026-27 season:

Persons aged 50 years or above (count by year of birth)
Children and adolescents aged 6 months to under 18 years (or secondary school students in Hong Kong) (count by date of birth)
Pregnant women
Persons with intellectual disability
Persons receiving disability allowance
Recipients of Standard Rate of "100% Disabled" or "Requiring Constant Attendance" under Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA)
Persons aged 18 to 49 years with specified chronic medical conditions #

Immediately after that list, the page prints the definition of "#":

# Specified chronic medical conditions include:
- Chronic cardiovascular (except hypertension without complications), lung, liver or kidney diseases;
- Metabolic diseases including diabetes mellitus or obesity (Body Mass Index 30 or above);
- Immunocompromised states related to weakened immune system due to conditions such as asplenia, Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or cancer/ steroid treatment; and
- Chronic neurological conditions that can compromise respiratory functions or the handling of respiratory secretions, or increase the risk of aspiration, or those who lack the ability to take care of themselves.

⚠️ That definition is itself the dividing line for whether someone aged 18 to 49 qualifies, so "except hypertension without complications" and "obesity (Body Mass Index 30 or above)" have to be read together with it. The same four items are also printed in the footnotes of the Centre's two age-band pages.

Question 6 of the "Frequently Asked Questions on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine for the 2026-27 Season in Hong Kong" page sets out a different list, framed in terms of "higher priority":

Health care workers [including care workers in Residential Care Homes for the Elderly (RCHEs), Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities (RCHDs), and laboratory personnel handling influenza virus specimens]
Persons aged 50 years or above
Persons aged 18 to 49 years with chronic medical problems*
Pregnant women
Children and adolescents aged six months to under 18 years (or aged 18 years or above studying in secondary schools in Hong Kong)
Residents of Residential Care Homes (e.g. RCHEs or RCHD)
Poultry workers
Pig farmers and pig-slaughtering industry personnel

The answer to the same question carries one further sentence immediately after the eighth item:

Members of the public can consult their family doctors to receive SIV for personal protection.

The definition of "*" in that question is printed separately:

* People with chronic medical problems mainly refer to those who have chronic cardiovascular (except hypertension without complication), lung, liver, metabolic or kidney diseases, obesity# (Body Mass Index 30 or above), who are immunocompromised^, children and adolescents (aged 6 months to 18 years) on long-term aspirin therapy, and those with chronic neurological condition that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk for aspiration or those who lack the ability to care for themselves. Seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended in view of their increased risk of complications and death associated with influenza infection. Of note, live-attenuated influenza vaccine should not be used in immunocompromised persons.

The two further notes to question 6 also limit the meaning of the above. "#" explains that obesity with a body mass index of 30 or above is an independent risk factor for influenza complications; "^" explains that immunocompromised people are those with a weakened immune system due to disease (such as HIV/AIDS) or treatment (such as cancer treatment). These are the Centre's FAQ categories, not this article diagnosing anyone.

The Government has a consolidated table of its own. The announcement of 31 August closes by stating that "Eligible groups and public venues offering free SIVs are listed in the annex"; that annex is a one-page PDF headed "Annex — 2026/27 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes — Eligibility and vaccination venue", printing "Eligible persons" and "Vaccination venue" row by row:

⚠️ The "recommended priority groups" and the "eligible groups" are two different lists, but they are not mutually exclusive. The list in question 6 of the FAQ page is the recommendation on vaccination priority from the Centre and the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases; the list in the annex is the programmes' eligible groups and vaccination venues. Four categories — health care workers, residents of residential care homes, poultry workers, and pig farmers and persons involved in the pig-slaughtering industry — appear on both lists; the annex lists them as "eligible persons" and prints a venue for each. As for people covered by neither list, the closing sentence of question 6 itself is "Members of the public can consult their family doctors to receive SIV for personal protection"; the "Remarks" on the Centre's "Pneumococcal Vaccination" page carry a sentence to the same effect: "If you are not in the above-mentioned eligible groups to receive free or subsidised vaccination, you may consult your family doctor and consider vaccination at your own expense for personal protection."

The "Persons Aged 18 to 49 Years" page carries a further remark that applies to all the groups above:

HA clinics/ hospitals or DH clinics may offer free influenza vaccination to clinically indicated existing patients outside the above eligibility groups based on doctor's clinical decision.

What do you bring on the day? The "Persons Aged 50 Years or Above" page lists two items: "Hong Kong Identity Card @ or Certificate of Exemption" and "The immunisation records (vaccination cards) (if any)"; footnote @ states "Except for those who obtained a Hong Kong Identity Card by virtue of a previous permission to land or remain in Hong Kong granted to him/ her and such permission has expired or ceased to be valid".

But between those two items the "Persons Aged 18 to 49 Years" page carries a whole further section of "Document(s) to be presented", applicable only to some groups. As printed:

Photocopy of the following document
For Persons with Intellectual Disability (PID)
Registration Card for People with Disabilities (with indication of intellectual disability or mentally handicap); or
A certificate certifying the person is a PID or eligible for VSS 2026/27 issued by a registered doctor; or
A certificate certifying the person is a PID or eligible for VSS 2026/27 from the designated institutions serving the PID.
For Recipients of Disability Allowance (DA)
The Disability Allowance approval letter issued by the Social Welfare Department (vaccination date should fall within the period of receiving Disability Allowance)
For Recipients of Standard Rate of "100% Disabled" or "Requiring Constant Attendance" under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme
The valid "Certificate of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Recipients (for Medical Waivers)" which was issued before 15 December 2018; or
The annex page of valid "Notification of Successful Application" / "Notification of Revision of Assistance" to proof his/her eligibility for CSSA.

⚠️ The Disability Allowance row prints a time limit: "vaccination date should fall within the period of receiving Disability Allowance".

⚠️ The above is drawn from the Centre's age-band and group pages and the annex to the announcement of 31 August; this article does not treat them as an exhaustive official list. For example, this article has no official document to cite for the list of homes participating in the Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme.

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#What is different this year about school outreach and the electronic consent form?

School outreach comes in two modes. The former name of one of them carried an explicit extra-fee wording in Chinese — 「可額外收費」 — which the official English former name, "Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS) School Outreach", does not contain. The paragraph introducing the programme on the Centre's "Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach Programme (SIVSOP) - Schools" page (revision date 2026/09/10), as printed:

2026/27 SIVSOP will continue to provide live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) (i.e., nasal vaccines) to all schools, and they are allowed to choose both injectable inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV) and LAIV for the same or different outreach vaccination activities (Hybrid mode). They may join the "Government Supply Vaccine Mode" (Formerly called "SIV School Outreach (Free of Charge) Programme") and/ or the "Doctor Supply Vaccine Mode" (Formerly called the "Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS) School Outreach") to provide free or/and subsidised seasonal influenza vaccination for school children.

⚠️ On that page's wording, it is the school that joins a mode, not the parent who chooses. The extra-fee wording appears in the Chinese former name of the "Doctor Supply Vaccine Mode", not in the English former name quoted above; whether a fee is charged is governed by the subsidy rules cited separately, not by the name.

The electronic consent form is a new feature this year, and the start dates differ for schools and for private clinics. The same page states:

2026/27 SIVSOP will introduce a new Electronic Consent Form (e-consent form) feature. Parents can use the e-consent form on the eHealth mobile application (eHealth App) to submit consent forms for their children to receive SIV under the SIVSOP.

The same page also states the QR code arrangement: "The Department of Health (DH) has issues school-specific QR codes to participating schools for distribution to parents. The QR codes have become effective on August 17". On the private clinic side, the announcement of 31 August states:

The Government has introduced a new Electronic Consent Form (e-consent form) feature this year. Members of the public already registered for eHealth accounts can submit their e-consent forms via the eHealth mobile app starting from September 17, and get vaccinated afterwards at a private clinic joining the VSS, enabling a paperless experience.

That is to say: 17 August on the school outreach side, 17 September on the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme side.

⚠️ The electronic consent form is not the only route, and it is not available to everyone. Question 47 of the FAQ page lists three methods: eConsent via Smart ID Card, eConsent via the eHealth App, and paper consent; and question 49 states: "Submitting eConsent using eHealth App for the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme is not applicable to MIPs aged 18 or older. Instead, consent shall be given either by inserting both the MIP's and guardian's Hong Kong Identity Cards into a card reader or by submitting a paper consent form."

Not every school has outreach. Immediately after the introductory paragraph above, the school outreach page states:

For 2026/27, there are schools that will not arrange seasonal influenza vaccination school outreach activity . Parents of these schools are advised to arrange vaccination for their children at clinics of private doctors enrolled in the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme upon commencement of the 2026/27 SIV Programmes.

The list of schools with no outreach is in the Centre's list of 26 August 2026. That list sets out 11 kindergartens/child care centres, 2 primary schools and 1 secondary school. This article does not reproduce the school names; what the Centre and the schools announce prevails. The enquiry telephone number for the outreach programme is 2125 2128 and the email address is [email protected]; the general enquiry number for the vaccination programmes is 2125 2125.

Maternal and Child Health Centre bookings. The announcement of 31 August states: "Starting from 9am on September 14, parents/guardians of eligible children may book a vaccination appointment for their children at designated MCHCs via the online booking system." ⚠️ That announcement does not print the web address of that booking system.

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#Common questions

• The programmes only commence on 17 September — does that mean it is not yet the influenza season? No. The Centre's announcement of 31 August states that "Hong Kong is currently in an influenza season", and Flu Express Volume 4 Number 36, published on 10 September, states "Hong Kong is in influenza season." 17 September is the programmes' administrative start date, not the start date of the season.
• Is the influenza jab $260? $260 is the Government's subsidy level, not a price. The Centre's "Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (Outreach)" page (revision date 2026/08/31) states the subsidy of $260 per dose and, in the same paragraph, states that "Some doctors may impose extra fees on the top of the subsidy, some doctors may not charge extra fees". That page does not set out the amount actually payable at any individual clinic, and this article does not write a subsidy level as a uniform price.
• Is the pneumococcal vaccine $400 or $800, whichever I prefer? No. The programme above applies to eligible elderly persons aged 65 or above; the Centre sets out the vaccine arrangements by high-risk condition, and the actual doses must also be considered against vaccination records. The $400 and $800 are subsidy levels, not a vaccine price list; some public clinics provide free vaccination only for their existing patients, service users or members.
• How is "chronic medical problems" defined for those aged 18 to 49? The "#" note on the Centre's "Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (Outreach)" page lists four items, including "Chronic cardiovascular (except hypertension without complications)" and "obesity (Body Mass Index 30 or above)"; the "*" note to question 6 of the FAQ page additionally covers "children and adolescents (aged 6 months to 18 years) on long-term aspirin therapy".
• Do health care workers, residents of residential care homes, and poultry, pig-farming or pig-slaughtering workers have a vaccination route? The annex to the press release of 31 August lists all four as eligible persons: health care workers at public or private clinics, family doctors or District Health Centres; residents at the residential care home in which they live; and workers in those industries at District Health Centres or designated public clinics. The eligibility and charges of each route still have to be read together with the conditions of the relevant programme.
• How many doses did the Government procure this year? The announcement of 5 August states that "the Government has procured approximately 1.3 million doses of vaccines for the SIV Programmes", and adds a note below the vaccine table: Sanofi's Vaxigrip (approximately 660 000 doses) and Sinovac's Anflu (approximately 530 000 doses) "are expected to arrive in Hong Kong in batches starting in mid-October and late August respectively"; that note does not mention the other two products in the table (Flumist and Flublok, approximately 60 000 doses each). The same announcement carries a separate pilot scheme (called the "Pilot Scheme on Vaccine Procurement for Family Doctors" in the announcement of 5 August and the "Pilot Scheme on Vaccine Procurement for Doctors" in that of 31 August), whose allocation rises from 100 000 doses to 300 000 doses; that paragraph opens with "In addition" and closes with "The above measures will help further enhance the stability of the vaccine supply in the private market and encourage eligible members of the public to receive vaccinations". The announcement does not state whether the two figures are inclusive or separate, so this article does not add them together.
• The report says 371 outbreaks and also 293; and paediatric cases 17, 16 or 19? All of these are printed by the official sources themselves, on different bases and with different cut-off dates. 371 is the cumulative total since week 26, as of 9 September; 293 is the figure counted over 11 complete weeks for comparison with the 2023 to 2025 seasons (169 to 942). On paediatric cases, Flu Express Volume 4 Number 36 prints 17 as the cumulative count by season (of which 1 death, as of 9 September); the same report prints 16 for the comparison over 11 complete weeks (10 to 18 over the same duration in the 2023 to 2025 seasons); and the Government press release of 10 September at 7.45pm prints 19 on a later cut-off date (9 + 5 + 2 + 2 + 1, of which 1 death). Each of the three figures has its own way of counting and its own cut-off date; they cannot be substituted for one another or added together.

Related article: 〈Your condition is worsening while you wait for a public specialist appointment — can you ask to be seen earlier?〉

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#What this article does not state

• This article makes no statement about whether anyone should be vaccinated, or when. The account of vaccination timing above comes from question 33 of the FAQ page and paragraph 24 of the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases' "Recommendations on Seasonal Influenza Vaccination", and is cited in the original wording.
• This article does not predict the end date of the influenza season or the trend afterwards. The week 36 surveillance report states that Hong Kong was in an influenza season at the time, and announces no end date.
• This article uses only the week 36 report and the first four days of week 37 contained in it, together with the later cut-off figure from the press release of 10 September. Those four days should not be treated as complete-week data; the start time for Maternal and Child Health Centre online bookings is cited from the announcement of 31 August, and this article gives no information about individual bookings or quota status.
• The consolidated table of vaccination venues in this article is taken from the annex to the press release of 31 August. It is not a live quota table for individual clinics.
• This article does not add the pilot scheme's 300 000 doses to the approximately 1.3 million doses, and does not cite "1.6 million doses" or any other procurement total. The announcement of 5 August states the two separately but does not state by any arithmetic whether they are inclusive or separate; this article uses only the "approximately 1.3 million doses" and the four product quantities that announcement prints itself, and cites only the "expected" arrival times it prints itself, which do not represent actual delivery dates or current stock.
• This article does not set out all the participating homes, doctors and consent arrangements of the residential care home programme. The start date of 17 September is cited from the press release of 31 August.
• This article does not state the amount actually payable after the subsidy, nor any charge under the "Doctor Supply Vaccine Mode" of school outreach. This article does not compare the charges of individual private doctors; of the five Centre pages cited here that print subsidy levels, four state that doctors may impose extra fees and that some doctors do not charge extra, while the remaining one, the "Vaccination Subsidy Scheme - Medical Practitioner 2026/27" page, states only that "On top of the Government's subsidy, enrolled doctors may impose extra charge for the vaccination."; none of the five prints an amount actually payable or a ceiling.
• This article does not reproduce the school names in the "List of Schools/ Child Care Centres Not Arranging Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach Activity", and makes no statement about any school; that list is governed by the Centre's own PDF, updated as of 26 August 2026.
• This article does not state the target coverage rate for 2026/27, nor the number of doses administered so far this year. The 18 official pages and documents listed at the end do not print either figure; the programmes had not yet commenced on the date shown in this article.
• This article does not name, compare or recommend any doctor, clinic or hospital, and does not compare any vaccine brands. The four vaccine names and quantities set out above are the original wording of the Government's procurement list of 5 August.
• This is the English edition. The Traditional Chinese edition is the authoritative version of this article. Quotations above are reproduced from the official English text published by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, not translated by this site.

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This article is health information, not medical advice.

#Sources

• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes to commence on September 17 - Get vaccinated early to build immunity barrier to protect yourself and your family (with photo/video)" (31 August 2026): https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202608/31/P2026083100245.htm (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Government press release, "Annex — 2026/27 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes — Eligibility and vaccination venue" (annex to the press release of 31 August 2026, a one-page PDF): https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202608/31/P2026083100245_556348_1_1788160376915.pdf (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Government press release, "Government actively prepares for Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes and has successfully completed procurement process for vaccines" (5 August 2026): https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202608/05/P2026080500513.htm (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, COVID-19 & Flu Express, Volume 4, Number 36 (published on 10 September 2026; data as of 9 September 2026; reporting period 30 August to 5 September 2026): https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/covid_flux_week36_10_9_2026_eng.pdf (Last updated: 2026-09-13)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (Outreach) – Other Institutions and Community Groups" (page date 31 August 2026; revision date 2026/08/31): https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/46428.html (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "Vaccination Subsidy Scheme - Medical Practitioner 2026/27" (page date 31 August 2026; revision date 2026/08/31): https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/45849.html (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "Government Vaccination Programme (GVP) 2026/27" (page date 31 August 2026; revision date 2026/08/31): https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/18630.html (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "Vaccination Schemes - Persons Aged 50 Years or Above" (page date 31 August 2026; revision date 2026/08/31): https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/18881.html (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "Vaccination Schemes - Persons Aged 18 to 49 Years" (page date 31 August 2026; revision date 2026/08/31): https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/46393.html (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "Pneumococcal Vaccination" (page date 31 August 2026; revision date 2026/08/31): https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/108124.html (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme" (page date 31 August 2026; revision date 2026/08/31; the page prints no body text apart from the title and date): https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/21657.html (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach Programme (SIVSOP) - Schools" (page date 10 September 2026; revision date 2026/09/10): https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/110263.html (Last updated: 2026-09-13)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "List of Schools/ Child Care Centres Not Arranging Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach Activity (Updated as of 26 August 2026)" (a three-page PDF in English and Chinese): https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/2627_list_not_arranging.pdf (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "Frequently Asked Questions on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine for the 2026-27 Season in Hong Kong" (page date 31 August 2026; revision date 2026/08/31): https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100764.html (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "Seasonal Influenza" (page date 25 February 2025; revision date 2025/02/25): https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/14843.html (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, "Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases – Discussion Papers / Recommendations" (index page; the page prints no page date, and its footer prints "Revision Date: 2023/06/06", earlier than the update date printed on the recommendation listed in the index): https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/static/24008.html (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases, "Recommendations on Seasonal Influenza Vaccination for the 2026-27 Season in Hong Kong (As of March 2026) (Updated on 21 August 2026)" (a twelve-page PDF; the document's own printed title is Recommendations on Seasonal Influenza Vaccination for the 2026-27 Season in Hong Kong (As of March 2026)): https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/recommendations_on_seasonal_influenza_vaccination_for_the_2026_27_season_in_hong_kong_mar2026.pdf (Last updated: 2026-09-08)
• eHealth System (Subsidies), "List of Enrolled Healthcare Service Providers" (enquiry portal for enrolled doctors; the page prints no date): https://apps.hcv.gov.hk/public/en/SPS/Search (Last updated: 2026-09-08)

Official arrangements may be updated; the actual arrangements of the vaccination programmes are governed by what the Department of Health's Centre for Health Protection announces, and the surveillance figures by the latest issue of COVID-19 & Flu Express. This article is health information, not medical advice, and makes no recommendation as to whether any individual should be vaccinated. In an emergency, go to the nearest Accident and Emergency Department immediately.