Only 14% take flu shots: Survey

A survey by the Hong Kong Medical Association has found that only 14 percent of adults took seasonal flu shots in the past year.

Among those who were inoculated, 60 percent received subsidies , according to the survey of more than 1,000 Hong Kong people aged over 18.

People who don't get flu shots said that they are of good health or that the flu is not a serious illness, so they don't see a need for vaccinations.

The survey also found that only 7 percent of those polled realize it takes two to four weeks for the vaccine to offer effective protection.

While calling for more people to get flu shots, the association also suggested the government expand subsidies to cover people aged over 50, instead of the current minimum age of 65.

Interpreters for LegCo meetings

Sign language and Putonghua simultaneous interpretation will be provided for some Legislative Council (LegCo) meetings in phases, LegCo President Jasper Tsang Yok-sing announced on Tuesday.

The simultaneous interpretation service, to be implemented in phases, is expected to cost HK$13.6 million annually.

Sham Shui Po lands cited

The Planning Department (PD) has won the support of Sham Shui Po District Council to change the land use of four sites, including converting two sites to housing land.

PD proposed to develop a public rental housing estate on the site of Asia Golf Club, in Lai Chi Kok Road, so as to supply 2,300 flats by 2019. A community site in Fuh Wah Street will also be used for housing. To make up for the lost recreation land, PD said that part of the Cheung San Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market and Wang Cheong Factory Estate will be converted to open space for the community.

54 complaints on flower delivery

Consumers should require florists to write down important details, such as compensation for unsatisfactory products, before placing orders for flower delivery service, said the Consumer Council on Tuesday.

The council received 54 complaints about flower delivery service from 2011 to November last year. In one case, the complainant ordered a HK$880 white Calla Lily bouquet for his girlfriend on Valentine's Day but the girlfriend received wilting, vari-colored lilies that didn't resemble the picture on the florist's website at all.

Lai see money exchange starts

The three note-issuing banks will start exchanging new notes on Jan 30 for people wishing to give out crisp new Hong Kong dollars as lai see money.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) urges the public to continue supporting the use of good-as-new notes, instead of brand-new ones, for lai-see, saying good-as-new notes are perfectly suitable for use as lai-see since Hong Kong's currency notes are maintained at a high standard of cleanliness.

HKMA has been promoting the use of good-as-new notes for lai-see since 2006 to help protect the environment. The percentage of good-as-new notes issued in the run-up to each Chinese New Year has increased from 20 percent in 2006 to around 45 percent in recent years.

China Daily

(HK Edition 01/16/2013 page1)