TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) approved the purchase of 100,000 additional government-funded flu vaccines on Thursday (Feb. 6), aiming to make them available to the public by Feb. 20. This decision follows the death of celebrity Barbie Hsu (大S) from flu-related pneumonia in Japan, sparking a rush for vaccinations. Officials expect the current stock of government-funded vaccines to run out within a week.
Executive Yuan Spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) conveyed that Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) had proposed the urgent purchase, which Premier Cho approved. Cho noted that while the supply of self-paid vaccines remains sufficient, the government-funded ones will soon be depleted. He urged the health ministry to expedite the procurement process and local governments to plan the vaccination efforts effectively.
Despite budget freezes of NT$1 million and NT$10 million for the vaccine fund, Cho emphasized the need to protect high-risk groups. The additional 100,000 vaccines will primarily target 11 high-risk categories, including seniors over 65, preschool children, and others.
Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 疾管署) Spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) stated that the administrative procedures are underway. Using the 2025 vaccine fund budget, the agency aims for public availability by Feb. 20. Once they arrive, the CDC plans to offer the vaccines to 11 designated groups, such as people with chronic diseases and healthcare workers.
