Taichung, Kaohsiung and Chiayi County are to adopt a COVID-19 vaccine administration method invented in a town in Japan to make the inoculation process easier for elderly people, the local governments said.
Under the method, dubbed the “Umi-machi style,” seniors who go to get their jabs at designated venues remain seated while a team of medical staff move from one person to another to administer their shots.
Umi, a town in Fukuoka Prefecture, conceived of the idea by observing Toyota’s vehicle assembly lines, which are renowned for being efficient.
Photo: Su Chin-feng, Taipei Times
Taichung, which has about 36,000 people older than 85, would try to vaccinate 120 people an hour over a three-day period beginning today.
Vaccines would be offered at 64 venues across the city, Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) said.
There was no indication how big each group would be or how long the vaccine recipients would have to sit, but officials said the method makes getting vaccinated much easier for people who have trouble moving around.
Photo courtesy of the Chiayi County Government via CNA
Kaohsiung plans to administer the shots to its 31,000 residents aged 87 and older, also over a three-day period from today.
The city said that it has already sent out notifications for people to arrive at their designated venues to be vaccinated.
Senior residents who have not received the notification, who need help with transportation because of physical disabilities or whose household registration is not in Kaohsiung, should contact their local community office for assistance, it said.
In Chiayi, which began administering COVID-19 vaccines to local medical staff and quarantine workers yesterday, said that jabs would be administered to people over the age of 85 from today through Thursday.
Vaccination sites would be set up at elementary and secondary schools across the county, it said.
Health authorities would make transportation arrangements for senior residents with disabilities, or have medical personnel go to their homes to vaccinate them, it said.
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