The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday said that pregnant women would be added to the sixth priority group for COVID-19 vaccinations, and they would be eligible along with the seventh and eighth priority groups in the next round of vaccine distribution.
After the second shipment of the purchased Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, about 240,000 doses, arrived on Friday last week, another batch of 2.5 million doses, donated by the US government, arrived on Sunday.
The two batches are undergoing Food and Drug Administration testing.
Photo: Wang Jung-hsiang, Taipei Times
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, on Sunday said that the eligibility of vaccine recipients would be further expanded to speed up the vaccination program.
“Pregnant women and people aged 65 and older are certain to be included in the next round of vaccinations,” Chen said yesterday.
Chen said pregnant women would be included in the sixth priority group with people aged 75 and older, and that they would be allowed to choose which vaccine they wish to receive.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
Pregnant women are advised to consult with their doctor, as well as assess the risks and benefits, before getting vaccinated, he said.
As of yesterday, the top six priority groups were eligible to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, while only the top three priority groups were eligible for the Moderna vaccine.
Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), who is CECC spokesman, said an Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting was held on Sunday to revise the priority list.
The eighth to 10th priority groups were added to the list, with people aged 65 to 74 as the eighth group; adults aged 19 to 64 with underlying health conditions that have higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and people with rare or catastrophic illness as the ninth group; and adults aged 50 to 64 as the 10th group.
There are about 180,000 pregnant women, about 86,000 people in the seventh priority group of essential workers for maintaining national security and normal societal functions, and about 1.98 million people in the eighth priority group.
An estimated 5.7 million people are in the top eight priority groups, the list showed.
The new revised list would not be used for the batch of the AstraZeneca vaccines donated by Japan which are currently being administered nationwide, Chen said.
Asked if people could receive two different types of vaccine for their first and second doses, CECC specialist advisory panel convener Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳) said there have been foreign studies on getting a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and then a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, but there is less scientific research on the effects of receiving a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and then a dose of the Moderna vaccine.
The CECC therefore recommends that people receive two doses of the same vaccine, unless they suffered a serious allergic reaction after receiving a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, Chang said.
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
One of two tropical depressions that formed off Taiwan yesterday morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. The weather system is expected to move northwest as it builds momentum, possibly intensifying this weekend into a typhoon, which would be called Mitag, Lee said. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is forecast to approach the southeast of Taiwan on Monday next week and pass through the Bashi Channel
RSS