The Hong Kong Medical Association is urging people to receive their seasonal flu vaccinations promptly as influenza activity remains high and the new school year begins. The association says early protection is important while cases are rising and students are returning to close-contact settings.
Respiratory medicine specialist Raymond Tso, an association council member, said Hong Kong had seen increasing numbers of cases from late August to early September. The association described this year's flu peak as falling in August and September, around the time schools reopen.
Schools can help infections travel between households and the wider community. Tso said students gathering together increased the chances of influenza infection, while the association warned that close contact and wider mixing at the start of the academic year could increase the risk of school outbreaks and community transmission.
The association said antibodies take around two weeks to develop after vaccination and urged people to allow sufficient time for protection. That is the reason behind its call to arrange vaccination as soon as possible, while flu activity remains elevated.
The Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach programme is scheduled to launch on Thursday. The association said parents worried that school outreach arrangements could take time may arrange for their children to be vaccinated at private clinics.
More than 2.03 million seasonal flu vaccine doses were administered during the 2025–26 season, infectious disease specialist Joseph Tsang said, a total similar to the previous year. Uptake rose among children and adolescents, but coverage remained relatively low among people aged 50 to 64 and pregnant women.
For families waiting for school arrangements, the association's stated alternative is to organise vaccination for children through a private clinic.