First-day registrations for monkeypox vaccine exceed 16,000

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Over 16,000 individuals in Taiwan registered for the monkeypox vaccine on the first day of registration, which began at 2 p.m. on Saturday. 

The number accounted for 54.2% of the total spots in the second wave. The number of available vaccines in the second registration phase will be considered based on the appointment demand, and there are plans to purchase 10,000 to 30,000 more vaccine doses.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, Deputy Director-General of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Philip Lo said that the most active period was 10 minutes after the registration opened, with approximately 5,014 people completing registration. 

In the first hour, about 12,706 people successfully registered. He added that more observations on the trend are needed in the next one or two days to gauge the overall willingness to register for the vaccine.

Luo explained that some people registered for the vaccine with the mentality of buying tickets for concerts. Over 4,000 spots, or about 40% of the total, are still available for registration. 

Registration will be open every weekday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until May 12. High-risk individuals who have yet to make appointments can still register after 9 a.m. on Sunday.

The monkeypox vaccine requires two doses. Luo said that if individuals have already received the first dose of the vaccine, they can still make an appointment for the second dose. 

However, the CDC will still prioritize people who have not received any doses to increase the overall immunization rate. Regarding future purchases of the monkeypox vaccine, Lo said that the CDC plans to purchase an additional 10,000 to 30,000 doses. 

However, the decision will depend on the registration situation in the second phase. If the vaccines are not fully used this time, the amount of the next purchase may be reduced. If the purchase is completed by mid-April, the vaccine could arrive in Taiwan mid to late May.

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