Taiwan sets goal to vaccinate 60% of population against COVID-19
TAIPEI: Taiwan has set a goal to vaccinate 60 per cent of its population with a COVID-19 vaccine, or 15 million people, a health official said on Tuesday (Dec 15).
Taiwan has signed an agreement with COVAX to purchase a COVID-19 vaccine, but is also actively in talks with vaccine companies who have candidates in Phase 3 trials for a potential bilateral agreement as well, said Jing-Hui Yang, a deputy director at the Central Epidemic Command Center.Â
COVAX, a global plan to distribute vaccines equally, has not yet started sending out shipments of vaccines.
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The island will prioritise frontline health workers and essential personnel to receive the vaccine first, Yang said. Later on, the immunisation campaign will target the elderly as well as those who have existing chronic illnesses.
Officials expect the vaccines to arrive early next year. Still, an immunisation campaign will take time, and will not be finished in just a month or two, Yang warned.
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