The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Public hospitals and out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority (HA) will start providing seasonal influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations in phases to eligible persons tomorrow (October 24) to tie in with the Government Vaccination Programme (GVP) for 2018/19.
 
     The HA spokesperson today (October 23) reminded members of the public that the seasonal influenza vaccination programme this year will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, the HA will provide influenza vaccination to eligible patients of public hospitals and out-patient clinics (see the attached leaflet for details). The second phase will commence on November 5 to cover community-living elderly persons aged 65 or above.
 
     "We will arrange influenza vaccination for our patients in the first phase in order to enhance their immunity against influenza, reducing their risk of infection during the influenza season, and thus reducing the healthcare service demand in public hospitals during the period," the spokesperson said.
 
     "Poultry workers, pig farmers and people who are involved in poultry culling operations or the pig-slaughtering industry, as referred by relevant government departments, can also receive seasonal influenza vaccination in 22 designated General Outpatient Clinics (GOPCs) from November 12 onwards."
 
     Eligible patients with regular follow-up at Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOPCs) or GOPCs are advised to receive vaccination at the time of their pre-scheduled follow-up appointments within the vaccination period. Patients whose follow-up appointment date falls outside the vaccination period should enquire at the clinics for necessary arrangements.
  
     Furthermore, the HA has also started to provide flu vaccination for staff on a voluntary basis from October 10.
 
     "Regarding the arrangement for pneumococcal vaccination, the HA will dovetail and provide pneumococcal vaccination to eligible elderly persons under the programme," the spokesperson remarked.
 
     "Eligible persons who wish to receive seasonal influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations should attend the out-patient clinics while bringing along relevant documents. They will receive vaccinations if assessed as clinically suitable by clinical staff."
 
     The spokesperson stressed that both the seasonal and pneumococcal vaccines are safe. Protection from seasonal influenza vaccination will develop in about two to four weeks after receiving and may last at least six months. It is usually well tolerated apart from occasional soreness at the injection site. Some people may have fever, muscle and joint pains and tiredness after vaccination lasting one to two days. As for the pneumococcal vaccine, protection will be generated in two to three weeks after inoculation.
 
     "Anyone with influenza symptoms, fever or severe illness should defer the vaccination until they have recovered." 
 
     Members of the public can enquire about the details of the Government Vaccination Programme at the respective specialist clinics or GOPCs where they are attending, or make enquiries at the HA hotline 2300 6555 during office hours or visit the following website: www.ha.org.hk/goto/gvp201819/en.
 
     The HA has already started promoting the vaccination programme through different channels, including the display of notices at prominent places of public hospitals and out-patient clinics.

     Promising young Cantonese opera actors will collaborate with other local Cantonese opera performers in the re-run of two acclaimed works, "A Fan to Remember" and "The Cosmic Mirror", in December and January. The productions are directed by Liu Xun and produced by Yeung Chi-sum, and details are as follows:

"A Fan to Remember"
Cast: Ruan Dewen, Hong Wah, Chan Ka-ming, Liu Kwok-sum, Hung Hoi, Lui Hung-kwong, Wong Hai-wing, Kim Lun and Kim Ying
7.30pm, December 14 and 15 (Friday and Saturday)
Auditorium, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing
Tickets: $120, $240 and $320

     "A Fan to Remember" takes place at the end of the Ming dynasty when a titled scholar, Hou Chaozong, and a famous courtesan, Li Xiangjun, are very much in love. Hou writes a love poem on a fan as a gift for engagement. Ruan Dacheng wants Hou to join his faction. He offers Li dowry gifts but Li humiliatingly turns them down. Ruan then holds a grudge against Li. Ruan becomes a trusted courtier of the new emperor Prince of Fu and eradicates dissidents. Hou receives a secret letter from Shi Kefa and immediately takes leave of Li. With Yang Longyou as the go-between, Ruan coerces Li to marry his adherent. Li throws herself against a pillar and blood stains her fan. As a reminder of the tragedy, Yang adds a few strokes to turn the stains into a painting of peach blossoms.

"The Cosmic Mirror"
Cast: Song Hongbo, Zong Yun-sin, Hong Wah, Chan Ka-ming, Hung Hoi, Lin Xinling, Kim Lun and Kim Ying
2.30pm, January 13 (Sunday)
Auditorium, Yuen Long Theatre
Tickets: $120, $220 and $280
7.30pm, January 25 (Friday)
Auditorium, Tsuen Wan Town Hall
Tickets: $120, $160, $220 and $280

     The story begins when the country is suffering a three-year drought. The Dragon King, who administers rainfall, issues a mandate to Du Shuangcheng, an officer in the mortal world, to find a Cosmic Mirror at a precipice in order to end this disaster. Du and his wife Yuexi secretly discuss ways to get out of this. Du's elder sister Shuangyi even kills herself to make him realise his duty as a public servant. With tears in their eyes, the couple embark on the journey. When they get stranded in a snowstorm, Yuexi sacrifices her life for Du's survival by feeding him with her own blood. After Du has barely managed to escape to safety, he meets two beautiful temptresses. At the critical moment that he is about to give up his mission, Yuexi and Shuangyi's spirits suddenly appear, castigating him for such weakness of will. Du realises the importance of his mission and is now determined to break away from the temptresses.

     The above performances are under the "Revisiting a Fine Selection of Cantonese Opera" programme presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Tickets are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_672.html.

     With the launch of the Government Vaccination Programme (GVP) 2018/19 tomorrow (October 24), the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (October 23) reminded eligible persons to receive free seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) in a timely manner to better protect themselves in the coming winter influenza season.

     The GVP will be implemented in phases. Starting from tomorrow, the GVP will provide vaccination to the following eligible groups who are Hong Kong residents:
 

• Pregnant women who are Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients or Certificate for Waiver of Medical Charges (Certificate) holders can get vaccinated in Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) of the DH or Antenatal Clinics of the Hospital Authority (HA);

• Children aged 6 months to under 12 years receiving CSSA or holding the Certificate can receive vaccination in MCHCs (6 months to under 6 years) and Student Health Service Centres of the DH (6 to under 12 years). Those seeking telephone booking for eligible schoolchildren may call the Student Health Service hotline (2856 9133);

• Elderly persons aged 65 or above attending public clinics, persons who are CSSA recipients or Certificate holders aged 50 to under 65 and those aged below 50 with chronic medical problems, eligible in-patients (including paediatric patients) of the HA and eligible paediatric out-patients, and eligible persons with intellectual disabilities and community-living persons receiving Disability Allowance can receive vaccination during their follow-up or stay in public clinics/hospitals; and

• Residents of homes for the elderly and persons with disabilities, public/institutional healthcare workers, poultry workers and pig farmers can also get vaccinated accordingly.

 
     Further to the above, community-living elderly persons aged 65 or above can get vaccinated in General Out-patient Clinics of the HA and designated Elderly Health Centres of the DH starting from November 5.

     In parallel, the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS) started on October 10 to provide subsidised SIV to eligible persons. The coverage of the VSS has been extended from elderly persons aged 65 or above to Hong Kong residents aged 50 or above, further enhancing the vaccination rate of the community. The subsidy for SIV under the VSS will also be increased from $190 to $210 per dose for all eligible groups. Under the VSS, enrolled private doctors can provide subsidised vaccination to eligible groups in their clinics, or organise outreach vaccination activities.
 
     The DH also introduced the School Outreach Vaccination Pilot Programme this year to increase the SIV uptake rate among primary school children. The pilot programme was rolled out yesterday (October 22) to reach out to 184 primary schools and provide SIV to their students through a Government Outreach Team or a Public-Private-Partnership Team.
 
     "Influenza can cause serious illnesses in high-risk individuals and even healthy persons. Given that vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent influenza and its complications, all persons aged 6 months or above, except those with known contraindications, are recommended to receive SIV for personal protection. Eligible groups of both the GVP and the VSS should receive SIV before the influenza season arrives," a spokesman for the CHP said.
 
     Meanwhile, free/subsidised pneumococcal vaccination (PV) for eligible persons will continue to be provided under the GVP and the VSS to prevent pneumococcal infections. Those aged 65 or above who do not have high-risk conditions will be eligible for one dose of 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccination (23vPPV). Elderly persons with high-risk conditions who have not received PV before will be eligible for one dose of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and one dose of 23vPPV one year later.
 
     The public, especially eligible groups, may call the CHP's hotline (2125 2125) for enquiries during office hours or visit the vaccination schemes page for more information.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Film Development Council:

     The local premiere of a new film subsidised by the Film Production Grant Scheme (FPGS) under the Film Development Fund (FDF), "Lucid Dreams", will be held this evening (October 23).

     The film, directed by Teddy Robin and starring Louis Cheung, Dada Chan, Kevin Cheng and Stephy Tang, is about a film director who falls into a nightmare and experiences four fantasy journeys of happiness, wrath, sorrow and joy after an accident in a film set.

     The Chairman of the Hong Kong Film Development Council, Mr Ma Fung-kwok, said, "The film was produced by an experienced crew and features many popular artists in the cast. It is believed that the different sentiments depicted in the four stories will together contribute to a diverse and entertaining viewing experience for audiences."

     He added, "The Government has all along been supportive of the local film industry and will continue to make tremendous efforts in stimulating the production volume of local films and nurturing new film talents."

     The FPGS aims at providing financial support for film productions in order to encourage more commercial investment in small-budget film productions. The scheme was launched in November 2015 on a pilot basis and ended in February 2018. During the pilot period, 13 film projects were approved with total funding of about $22.66 million. The production budget for "Lucid Dreams" was around $9.79 million, with the government subsidy amounting to about $1.95 million.

     â€‹The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, will depart for Chengdu, Sichuan, tomorrow evening (October 24) to attend the fourth cultural ministers' meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum.

     Mr Lau will attend the meeting as a member of the Chinese delegation, led by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr Luo Shugang. Mr Lau will return to Hong Kong in the morning on October 26 (Friday).