Increasing vaccination coverage in children is critical to contain the epidemic. Since 16th February, HKCH has been running a government designated Children Community Vaccination Centre (CCVC) which provides BioNTech vaccines to children aged 5 to 11.

▲A child getting a shot.

Safety comes first

General Manager (Nursing) Connie Wan recalled, "There were only 18 working days from the first site visit to the opening of the CCVC. Thanks to the coordination of the HA Head Office and concerted effort of colleagues from paediatrics, nursing, pharmacy, administrative services, human resources, information technology and patient resource centre, we were able to arrange the manpower, facilities, equipment, workflow, training and drill in time for a smooth operation."

▲Drill is performed on the handling of sick persons.

The CCVC has its own doors, separate from the rest of the hospital to reduce cross infection risks. Injection safety is also emphasized. Said Dr Anne Kwok, Associate Consultant (Paediatrics) who is in charge of the CCVC, "Children only receive 0.1mL of vaccine, which is one third of adult dosage. Therefore, vaccines must be prepared in a very accurate manner by pharmacy staff using aseptic technique. Diluted vaccines are extracted into individual syringes which nurses can use for injection directly."

There are duty doctors in the CCVC to handle adverse situations such as allergic reactions. Dr Kwok supplemented, "The hospital's own resuscitation team will also provide emergency support if needed."

▲Vaccines are prepared by pharmacy staff using aseptic techniques.

▲A group of ethnic minority families come to get vaccination after Dr Anne Kwok and the Centre for Health Protection gave a vaccination talk to relevant NGOs.

A friendly injection experience

It is common for children to feel scared when seeing needles. To ease their anxiety, the CCVC is decorated with cartoon posters to give a welcoming feel. Children also get souvenirs like stickers and badges. Senior Nursing Officer Wong Kin-ping said, "We wish to create a happy experience for the children. Nurses are reminded to assess their cooperativeness before injection. We once encountered a 11-year old boy who refused to get the shot. It took three nurses an hour to persuade him. It was well worth the effort." The hospital also made a leaflet which give parents tips on preparing their children for injection and comforting them afterwards.

▲Children receive colourful balloons made by Dr Clown after getting their jab.

Special vaccination services

Vaccination is especially important to some HKCH patients who have weak immune systems or high-risk medical conditions such as cancer. However, it could be difficult for them to go to regular vaccination venues as they are hospitalized or should avoid crowded places. Therefore, HKCH specially arranges vaccination for them inside the hospital. By end of April, 50 patients from various specialties have already been vaccinated.

With the support from paediatrics, CCVC and specialist outpatient clinic, HKCH also vaccinates students from special schools in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. So far over 260 students have been benefited. Our experienced healthcare staff can take good care of these children who are usually more sensitive.