About the Programme

Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme (RVP)

Background

Since 1998, the Government has provided seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) for residents of Residential Care Homes for the Elderly (RCHE). Starting in 2003 and 2005, the Government extended SIV to residents of Residential Care Home for persons with disabilities (RCHD) (including boarders of special schools with boarding section) and staff of both RCHE and RCHD, respectively. In 2009, pneumococcal vaccination was introduced to provide 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23vPPV) to all residents of RCHE and residents of age 65 years or above in RCHD who have never received any pneumococcal vaccination before. 

RVP was established in 2009 to continue providing free SIV and pneumococcal vaccination to eligible residents and staff of RCHE and RCHD. In 2015, the provision of free SIV was expanded to non-institutionalised persons with intellectual disability (PID) receiving services in designated institutions serving PID, such as day activity centres, sheltered workshops and special schools.

In 2017/18, to further strengthen preventive measures against pneumococcal infection, the Government has been providing an extra dose of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) to eligible residents, in addition to 23vPPV, depending on their past vaccination history. As of August 5, 2024, the 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15) has further replaced the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine which previously provided.

Starting in 2019/20 and 2022/23, the Government has been providing free SIV to children and staff of Residential Child Care Centres (RCCC), and to staff of designated institutions serving PID under RVP respectively.

The Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme 2024/25 will commence on 26 September 2024.

The Government will provide and deliver free vaccines to the residential care homes (RCH), RCCC and designated institutions serving PID. Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) enrolled in the programme are invited by RCH, RCCC or designated institutions serving PID to provide vaccination services to eligible recipients. After vaccination, VMO will input the relevant records and submit claims for reimbursement in the eHealth System (Subsidies) [eHS(S)]. Under this programme, the Government will reimburse the VMO $105 per dose of vaccine injection provided to the eligible recipients during the vaccination period. VMO should not charge any fee from the recipients or their parents / guardians or share the vaccination fee with RCH/RCCC/designated institutions serving PID, person-in-charge of RCH/RCCC/designated institutions serving PID, recipients, or their parents / guardians.

Eligibility

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination

1. Residents and boarders of the RCHE / RCHD
2. Children and adolescents aged 6 months to under 18 years of the RCCC
3. Staff of RCHE / RCHD/ RCCC
4. Non-institutionalised PID receiving services in designated institutions serving PID and staff working in PID, such as day activity centres, sheltered workshops and special schools, are eligible for free seasonal influenza vaccination.

The Government will provide inactivated seasonal influenza vaccine to the eligible persons under this programme.

Pneumococcal Vaccination
Residents of RCHE and residents of RCHD aged 65 years or above are eligible for one dose of free 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15) and one dose of free 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23vPPV). 

1. Residents who have never received PCV13/PCV15 or 23vPPV before are eligible for one dose of free PCV15, and followed by one dose of free 23vPPV 1 year later
2. Residents who have already received 23vPPV are eligible for one dose of free PCV15 1 year after previous 23vPPV vaccination
3. Residents who have already received PCV15 are eligible for one dose of free 23vPPV 1 year after previous PCV15 vaccination
4. Residents who have already received both PCV13/PCV15 and 23vPPV do not need to receive any pneumococcal vaccination
5. Residents who have already received PCV13 do not need to receive PCV15

Definition of RCH
"Residential Care Home" means: 

1. a residential care home as defined and licensed under the Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Ordinance (Cap. 459); or
2. a residential care home for persons with disabilities as defined and issued with a licence or certificate of exemption under the Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance (Cap. 613); or
3. the boarding section of a special school subvented under the Education Bureau; or
4. the residential facilities of the Skills Centre (Tuen Mun) of Vocational Training Council; or
5. a nursing home listed in Schedule 10 as referred to Private Healthcare Facilities Ordinance, Cap. 633 for which a certificate of registration of a nursing home is valid as at 1 April 2017; or
6. Residential Child Care Centres registered under the Social Welfare Department.

Designated institutions for PID which can apply for RVP are:

1. Subvented Day Activity Centre
2. Subvented Sheltered Workshop
3. Subvented Integrated Vocational Rehabilitation Services Centre (IVRSC)
4. Subvented Integrated Vocational Training Centre (IVTC)
5. Subvented District Support Centre for Persons with Disabilities
6. Aided Special Schools 

The updated list of the above designated institutions serving PID can be found in the websites of Social Welfare Department and Education Bureau.

Eligibility for vaccination service under RVP