An incentive program for older people to get vaccinated is to be extended until the end of next month, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced yesterday.
People aged 65 or older, as well as members of indigenous communities aged 55 or older, would remain eligible for the reward of hygiene or educational products worth NT$500 for receiving doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the CECC, told the center’s daily news conference.
Those eligible could claim the reward after their first, second and third doses, Chen said, urging older people to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible to increase their protection against the disease.
Photo: CNA
The program, implemented on March 10, was initially set to expire today. The extension comes as the number of local COVID-19 has been rising since late March.
To date, 83.59 percent of residents in the nation have received at least one COVID-19 shot, while 78.68 percent have gotten two doses and 52.04 percent have received a booster shot, CECC data showed.
Among people aged 65 to 74, 86.9 percent have received at least one shot, 83.3 percent have gotten at least two doses, and 69.4 percent have also gotten a booster shot, the data showed.
The figures for those aged 75 or older who had their first, second and booster shots is 76.6 percent, 71.2 percent and 55.5 percent respectively.
The official list of facilities offering COVID-19 vaccinations is available at reurl.cc/7eW0AQ, the CECC said, adding that the list indicates whether each respective facility requires appointments.
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