TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's health authorities are bracing for a possible new COVID-19 surge this summer, launching a focused vaccination initiative for vulnerable populations. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 疾管署), Taiwan's national public health agency, announced Friday (April 18) a campaign offering second doses of the updated JN.1 vaccine specifically targeting three high-risk demographics: elderly citizens 65 and older, Indigenous community members between 55 and 64 years of age, and immunocompromised individuals as young as six months.
CDC Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) projected that approximately 800,000 eligible residents could receive vaccinations before the June 30 deadline, though current vaccination rates remain concerning. Chuang noted that merely 18% of Taiwan's elderly population aged 65 and above have received the JN.1 vaccine to date. The health official underscored the critical nature of these preventive measures by sharing a stark statistic: seniors face a mortality risk 97 times greater than young adults aged 18-29 when contracting COVID-19.
Yang Ching-hui (楊靖慧), who heads the CDC's Acute Infectious Disease Division, emphasized the JN.1 vaccine's effectiveness in preventing serious complications and fatalities. Director-General Chuang called for heightened public awareness, pointing to last summer's worldwide COVID-19 wave that pushed Taiwan's death rate to its highest point in July. The vaccination strategy for vulnerable populations follows guidance from both the U.S. CDC and Taiwan's own "Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices" (衛福部傳染病防治諮詢會), a specialized expert panel that advises on vaccination policies.
Looking toward future preparations, Chuang indicated that the World Health Organization will likely announce its determination on the next vaccine formulation in June, with Taiwan potentially beginning administration of updated vaccines in October. The official also revealed that declining public interest in COVID-19 vaccination might prompt Taiwan to scale back its vaccine purchases this year — a significant shift from previous years when the island procured as many as 5.5 million doses to protect its population of 23 million. ★
