Hong Kong clinics have received a surge in inquiries and bookings for influenza jabs following the death of popular Taiwanese actress Barbie “Big S” Hsu Shi-yuan, who died from pneumonia after contracting flu.
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Hsu’s death, which was publicly revealed on Monday and happened while she was travelling in Japan with her family, not only sent shock waves through the Chinese-speaking world, but also appeared to prompt more Hongkongers to get flu vaccinations.
Family medicine specialist Dr Angus Chan Ming-wai said there had been an increase in the number of people making inquiries and appointments for flu jabs at his private practice since the news had broken.
“There were already around a dozen inquiries so far [on Tuesday morning],” Chan said, adding they included those making bookings for the next few days.
He recalled that there were no inquiries around the same time in previous years, as people who routinely got vaccinated usually did so much earlier.
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There were, however, some who “made a last-minute effort as they don’t find it a [priority] issue if nothing happens,” Chan said of those who got vaccinated later.