Taiwan considers expanding Covid-19 vaccine programme after US ups donation to 2.5 million
- Washington had already pledged 750,000 doses, but has now dispatched a larger consignment to the island
- Health Minister Chen Shih-chung and President Tsai Ing-wen thank Washington for the donation
The island registered 107 new local infections on Sunday, 11 deaths, and two imported cases. This was one of the lowest number of new daily cases since the current outbreak started in May, according to statistics from Taiwan’s health ministry.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen expressed gratitude to the US after the shipment of 2.5 million doses was dispatched on Saturday. It was expected to arrive on Sunday evening.
“Thank you to the US for this moving gesture of friendship. These vaccines will go a long way towards keeping Taiwan safe and healthy,” Tsai wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
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US sends 2.5 million Covid-19 vaccines to Taiwan
The donation has brought relief, as only 6.4 per cent of the island’s 23 million people have been vaccinated so far, the equivalent of 1.5 million doses, according to Chen Shih-chung, the health and welfare minister.
“We are really grateful for the timely aid from the US which will help speed up vaccinations,” Chen said.
He said the doses from the US would help to ensure all the island’s medical workers were vaccinated and the government would consider opening the vaccination programme to more people.
Taiwan prioritises inoculations for seven groups, including medical and public health workers, frontline staff that ensure the smooth running of society, kidney dialysis patients and those above the age of 75.
The next step would be opening the programme to over-65s and pregnant women, according to Chen.
Chen said the island had also registered its intent to buy a vaccine made by Novavax, which last week said it had a 90 per cent efficacy rate, from the Covax Facility.
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Although the current outbreak is stabilising, health officials are still monitoring the situation and have not yet committed to lowering the national alert level on June 28, when the current round of restrictions is set to expire.
“If [public health restrictions] are loosened too quickly, it can cause a new wave. We need to be very cautious,” Chen said.
However, Chen said restrictions may be eased in certain residential areas that had been designated as high risk and where inhabitants had been urged not to leave their homes at all.
Half the deaths being recorded are from patients who first became ill last month. But Lo Yi-chun, the deputy director of Taiwan’s Centres for Disease Control, said the number of symptomatic cases had been falling this month, which should result in a lower mortality rate in the coming weeks.
