The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is to be offered in the 10th round of vaccinations, which start on Wednesday, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday, as it reported 10 imported cases and no local infections or deaths.
The center last week said that second doses of the AstraZeneca and Medigen vaccines would be offered in the 10th round of vaccinations, but on Friday evening announced that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine would also be offered as a first dose.
People aged 64 or older (born on or before Dec. 31, 1957); people aged 18 to 63 who are also listed in the ninth priority group; and those aged 18 to 22 (born between Jan. 1, 1999, and Dec. 31, 2003) are eligible to book an appointment to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine if they registered their preference for the brand on the national online COVID-19 vaccination booking system before Wednesday last week, the CECC said.
Photo: CNA
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said that eligible recipients can book an appointment between 10am tomorrow and 4pm on Tuesday, and be vaccinated from Wednesday to Thursday next week.
The CECC reported 10 imported cases of COVID-19 among travelers from nine countries, but no new local infections or deaths.
The imported cases arrived from Indonesia, Japan, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Singapore, Somaliland, Thailand, the UK and Vietnam, the center said.
Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), who is deputy chief of the CECC’s medical response division, said that among the imported cases, five have been vaccinated, while two were fully vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and are considered to be “breakthrough infections.”
Local media on Friday reported that 42 Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) workers used a loophole in a Kaohsiung hospital’s vaccination booking system to receive their second dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which they were not yet eligible to receive.
The workers had received their first dose as members of the seventh priority group for vaccination — which included workers essential for maintaining key infrastructure — but were not yet eligible for a second dose of the Moderna vaccine, which has so far only been offered to members of the first three priority groups, the reports said.
Chen said that while the workers were not yet eligible for the second dose, the hospital did not want a dispute to affect other vaccine recipients waiting to receive their shots, so it gave in and administered the vaccines.
The center has asked the local health department to look into the matter and enhance hospital management, Chen said.
Causing a nuisance at healthcare facilities and affecting the duties of healthcare personnel contravene the Medical Act (醫療法), meaning that the workers could face punishment.
People who have not yet received their second shot of the Moderna vaccine might be anxious, but “there should be good news very soon,” Chen said, urging people not to “cut in line” to be vaccinated earlier.
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