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About the Programme

Feature Topic
About the Programme
About the Programme
2026-08-31

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 (count by year of birth) 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 2025/26 will commence on 17 September 2026.

The Government will provide and deliver free vaccines to the residential care homes (RCH), RCCC and designated institutions serving PID. The Private Doctor enrolled in the programme are invited by RCH, RCCC or designated institutions serving PID to provide vaccination services to eligible recipients. After vaccination, The Private Doctor will input the relevant records and submit claims for reimbursement in the eHealth. Under this programme, the Government will reimburse the Private Doctor $105 per dose of vaccine injection provided to the eligible recipients during the vaccination period. The Private Doctor 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. All residents in the RCHE/ RCHD
  2. All residents (aged 6 months to below 18 years) in the RCCC
  3. All staffs in RCHE / RCHD/ RCCC
  4. Non-institutionalised PID receiving services in designated institutions serving PID and staff working in PID

Under this programme, the government provides inactivated influenza vaccine and recombinant influenza vaccine to eligible individuals. Based on review on available evidence, recombinant influenza vaccine which may offer improved protection against influenza in older adults, therefore recombinant influenza vaccines will be provided to residents of RCHE and residents of RCHD aged 65 or above (count by year of birth) in this season.


Pneumococcal Vaccination

Residents of RCHE and residents of RCHD aged 65 years or above (count by year of birth) 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. Have never received PCV13/PCV15 or 23vPPV before, are eligible for one dose of free PCV15, followed by one dose of free 23vPPV 1 year (365 days) later.
  2. Have already received 23vPPV and not yet received PCV13/PCV15, are eligible for one dose of free PCV15 1 year (365 days) after previous 23vPPV vaccination.
  3. Have already received PCV13/PCV15 and not yet received 23vPPV, are eligible for one dose of free 23vPPV 1 year (365 days) after previous PCV13/PCV15 vaccination.
  4. Have already received both PCV13/PCV15 and 23vPPV, do not need to receive any pneumococcal vaccination.
  5. Have already received PCV13 do not need to receive PCV15.


Definition of RCH

"Residential Care Home" means: 

  1. a “residential care home” has the meaning given by the Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Ordinance (Cap. 459 of the laws of Hong Kong); or
  2. a “residential care home for persons with disabilities” has the meaning given by the Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance (Cap. 613 of the laws of Hong Kong), or holding a certificate of exemption under the Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance (Cap. 613 of the laws of Hong Kong); or
  3. the boarding section of an aided special school under the Education Bureau of the Government; or
  4. the residential facilities of the “Skills Centre (Tuen Mun) of Vocational Training Council” or
  5. a “scheduled nursing home” means a nursing home listed in Schedule 10 in the Private Healthcare Facilities Ordinance (Cap. 633 of the laws of Hong Kong); or
  6. a “registered child care centre” as defined in section 2 of the Child Care Services Ordinance (Cap. 243 of the laws of Hong Kong).


Designated institutions for PID which can apply for RVP are:

  1. Day Activity Centre
  2. Sheltered Workshop
  3. Integrated Vocational Rehabilitation Services Centre (IVRSC)
  4. Integrated Vocational Training Centre (IVTC)
  5. 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