In a press briefing after receiving their fourth Covid-19 vaccine shot and a flu jab at the government’s general outpatient clinic in Sai Wan Ho on Thursday, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau and top officials under him revealed the influenza vaccination drive would start on October 6, with a million doses already procured, reports South China Morning Post.

“Both jabs can be taken at the same time … It’s very convenient and we felt very good after resting for 15 minutes,” Lo said, before delivering his stark message.

“A lot of statistics have shown that co-infection of Covid-19 and flu will lead to a very high risk of severe illness and death.”

Lo said mask-wearing and social-distancing practices in the past two years of the pandemic had kept flu rates low, adding: “But because of that, residents’ immunity to flu has fallen a lot … I urge all residents to get vaccinated before the winter surge.”