In Asian countries, including China, influenza vaccination rates were low. The current seasonal influenza vaccination rates among Chinese in Hong Kong, as well as the obstacles and facilitators to vaccination, were studied in this study. Eight focus groups were held among the Chinese general audience, followed by a telephone poll with 2,452 respondents. In the previous 12 months, 29.1 percent of those polled had gotten an influenza vaccination. The majority of them cited ‘improving immunity’ and ‘feeling safer’ as reasons for vaccination, followed by a belief in ‘quicker recovery’ if infected, and free/subsidized vaccines. Among those who had not obtained an influenza vaccination, 71.2 percent ‘believed in the strength of their own immunity,’ while 65.6 percent reported a ‘low chance of developing influenza.’ Less than half of those polled were concerned about ‘side effects’ and ‘effectiveness.’ Vaccination rates for people aged 65–74 and 75 and over were 49.1 percent and 69.9 percent, respectively, compared to 13.9 percent for people aged 18–64. The 442 respondents with children indicated a rate of 37.9 percent for children.
The strong uptake of vaccinations among youngsters and the elderly shows that the subsidies and outreach initiatives are having a good impact. Public awareness should stress that inactivated vaccinations, such as influenza vaccines, operate by activating the host’s immune system against the primary forms of seasonal influenza.
Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21645515.2019.1709351
