TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 疾管署) announced on Friday (June 27) a shift in its COVID-19 vaccination policy for the upcoming fall and winter seasons. The government will now limit free vaccines to 10 specific groups, including individuals over 50 and pregnant women, ending the universal free vaccination program.
The CDC's data indicates that while Taiwan sees the NB.1.8.1 variant as the dominant strain, the LP.8.1 variant is rising globally. In response, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW, 衛福部) has decided to prioritize the LP.8.1 vaccine for the upcoming vaccination campaign, alongside offering the JN.1 vaccine for those unsuitable for mRNA vaccines.
Authorities plan to procure 3.07 million doses, consisting of approximately 2.77 million doses of the Moderna LP.8.1 vaccine and 300,000 doses of the Novavax JN.1 vaccine. The vaccination rollout will occur in two phases: the first phase begins Oct. 1, coinciding with the flu vaccine distribution, while the second phase starts Nov. 1, targeting different eligible groups.
The 10 eligible groups for the free vaccines include seniors over 65, Indigenous people aged 55-64, residents and staff of care facilities, and pregnant women. Other eligible individuals include high-risk individuals over 6 months old, healthcare and epidemic prevention personnel, childcare workers, parents of infants under 6 months, children between 6 months and 6 years old, and low-risk adults aged 50-64.
