People who get vaccinated against COVID-19 under a government-subsidized program would no longer have to pay administrative surcharges, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday.
The NT$300 (US$10.82) administration fee for the jabs would be waived from today, eliminating all out-of-pocket fees for government-funded COVID-19 vaccines, the center said.
On Saturday, the CECC said that the fee would not be covered by a NT$4 billion COVID-19 relief budget approved last week.
Photo: Ting Wei-chieh, Taipei Times
Part of the funding would be allocated to local governments for setting vaccine sites, it said.
Taipei and New Taipei City offer the subsidized jabs to medical workers, epidemic prevention workers and other workers at higher risk of COVID-19 exposure, while the rest of the nation only offers the free vaccines to medical workers.
As of Thursday last week, 678,418 doses had been administered nationwide, the CECC said.
Meanwhile, Tzeng Yi-suo (曾怡碩) and Chang Tun-cheng (張敦程), researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, in a report on Saturday said that the CECC should set up vaccination sites similar to military field hospitals or assign military personnel to conduct open-air mass inoculations.
The comments came after the CECC on Wednesday last week said that it aims to administer 1 million doses per week, and would therefore establish community inoculation stations, large-scale inoculations sites and outreach services.
Tzeng and Chang said that clinics and hospitals that offer vaccinations have said that they would have to establish a reservation system to avoid crowding, prompting the CECC and some hospitals to discuss the establishment of large-scale vaccination sites operated by hospital staff.
The report seeks to inform the CECC of how the military would set up field hospitals in the event of a chemical warfare attack, they said, adding that the contingency planning involves collection points, medical stations, transport and quarantine facilities.
The military could assist in conducting large-scale inoculations, they said.
Separately, the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation on Saturday said that it can provide 40 sites for outdoor inoculation and that it invited government officials to inspect them.
The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Wanda-Zhonghe Line is 81.7 percent complete, with public opening targeted for the end of 2027, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said today. Surrounding roads are to be open to the public by the end of next year, Hou said during an inspection of construction progress. The 9.5km line, featuring nine underground stations and one depot, is expected to connect Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station to Chukuang Station in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和). All 18 tunnels for the line are complete, while the main structures of the stations and depot are mostly finished, he
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
Taipei is to implement widespread road closures around Taipei 101 on Friday to make way for large crowds during the Double Ten National Day celebration, the Taipei Department of Transportation said. A four-minute fireworks display is to be launched from the skyscraper, along with a performance by 500 drones flying in formation above the nearby Nanshan A21 site, starting at 10pm. Vehicle restrictions would occur in phases, they said. From 5pm to 9pm, inner lanes of Songshou Road between Taipei City Hall and Taipei 101 are to be closed, with only the outer lanes remaining open. Between 9pm and 9:40pm, the section is
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday hosted a reception to celebrate Double Ten National Day. Conservative Canadian lawmaker Marc Dalton called Taiwan a “beacon of courage and resilience in the face of rising authoritarianism,” according to a post on the Taiwan in Vancouver Facebook page. Also in attendance were fellow conservative caucus members Tako Van Popta and Chak Au, who said that Taiwan plays an “indispensable role” in ensuring global peace, prosperity and stability due to its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region, it said. Canadian lawmaker Michael Cooper also recorded a message wishing Taiwan a
RSS