To prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, starting from Feb. 3 — the third day of the Lunar New Year — New Taipei City Government coordinated with 33 designated hospitals and clinics to provide vaccinations. New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi visited the United Safety Medical Group clinic on Feb. 5 to boost the morale of front-line doctors and nurses, and said that the city government had designated 444 vaccination clinics that can vaccinate a total of more than 30,000 people per day. He said that more than 25 percent of the population had received their third (booster) shot, and this figure was heading toward 30 percent, and that he wanted to increase the vaccination coverage rate so that people can protect themselves and others around them.
Hou expressed his gratitude to the staff of express vaccination stations and the doctors and nurses of the 33 clinics which joined the ranks of the vaccination campaign during the Lunar New Year vacation. He said that thanks to their efforts in recent days, 82 percent of people had now received their first dose and 77 percent their second. As for the third dose, he hoped that this push during the Lunar New Year break would take the coverage up to 30 percent.
The mayor also said that, to ensure sufficient healthcare capacity, he was calling on doctors and nurses, in addition to protecting the public, to also protect themselves by completing their vaccinations as early as possible, since that is the only way to reduce the risk of infection and serious illness.
Photo courtesy of the New Taipei City Government Department of Health 照片：新北市衛生局提供
The New Taipei City Government Department of Health added that although the central government’s 1922 vaccine appointment platform has started up again, it only provides appointments for booster shots, so people who want to get their first and second doses should go to designated hospitals or clinics to make their vaccination appointments. The health department reminded people who succeed in making an appointment to confirm the location for their vaccination and make sure to take their National Health Insurance card and COVID-19 vaccination record, known as the “little yellow card.” Information about clinic opening times can be found on the New Taipei City Government Department of Health Web site.
(Liberty Times, translated by Julian Clegg)
為防範武漢肺炎(新冠病毒，COVID-19)Omicron變異株疫情，新北市政府自二月三日(初三)開始，協調三十三家合約醫療院所提供疫苗施打，市長侯友宜二月五日到聯安診所替第一線基層醫護打氣，他說，市府規劃四百四十四家疫苗合約診所，一天接種量能達三萬多人，目前第三(追加)劑接種率已超過二成五，邁向三成，期盼將疫苗涵蓋率提升，保護自己和他人。
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Liberty Times 照片：自由時報王藝菘
侯友宜表示，春節期間感謝疫苗機動接種站人員，還有三十三家門診醫生、護理師加入疫苗接種的行列，這幾天衝刺量能，目前疫苗第一劑達八成二、第二劑達七成七，第三劑則是希望春節衝一波，預期能夠達三成。
他也說，為鞏固醫療量能，呼籲醫護在守護民眾的同時，也要保護自己，儘早完成疫苗接種，才能降低感染與重症的風險。
新北市政府衛生局補充，中央1922疫苗預約平台重啟後，僅提供追加劑預約，欲接種前兩劑的民眾請到合約醫療院所預約施打。衛生局提醒預約成功民眾，確認接種地點，備妥健保卡及素稱「小黃卡」的COVID-19疫苗接種紀錄卡，相關開診資訊可至衛生局官網查詢。
（自由時報邱書昱）
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