The government-funded flu vaccination program would begin on Nov. 15, instead of Oct. 1, and would be carried out in phases using quadrivalent vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.
The WHO normally announces the recommended composition of flu vaccines for the northern hemisphere influenza season in February, but this year, it announced the recommended A(H3N2) component in late March, CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said.
Although the CDC ordered 6 million doses of quadrivalent vaccines in May, the vaccine manufacturer said the vaccines would be produced and shipped later than previous years due to the WHO’s delayed announcement, he said.
Photo: Lin Hui-chin, Taipei Times
As the vaccines would arrive in batches, CDC specialists in a meeting in June decided that people at greater risk of infection would get vaccinated first, Chuang said.
Elementary and high-school students, as well as medical practitioners can get vaccinated starting on Nov. 15, followed by people aged 65 years or older and pre-school-age children starting on Dec. 8, and all other eligible groups for government-funded vaccination can get vaccinated from Jan. 1 next year, he said.
Elderly people, infants and young children are at greater risk of developing serious complications from flu infection, said Lee Ping-ying (李秉穎), a pediatrician at National Taiwan University Hospital and convener of the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
However, it is more important to first vaccinate people who are at greater risk of transmitting the disease to prevent the virus spreading, Lee said.
Students can easily transmit the virus to their classmates and family members, spreading the disease in their communities, Lee said, adding that if medical practitioners are infected, it would cause a lack of personnel at hospitals and they could transmit the virus to patients or their families, so they should have priority when receiving flu vaccines.
In addition to getting vaccinated, people should maintain good personal hygiene, especially washing their hands, and observe proper cough etiquette to reduce the risk of infection, Lee said.
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