TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Sunday (May 15) announced Taiwan will authorize a second COVID booster shot to elderly, long-term care institution residents, and immunocompromised people over 18 starting on Monday (May 16).
CECC spokesperson Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) on Friday (May 13) said the CECC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met at the end of April and decided to start providing a fourth dose of the COVID vaccine.
The ACIP determined that, like the first booster, the second booster can consist of half a dose of Moderna, a full dose of Pfizer-BioNTech, or a full dose of a protein subunit vaccine such as Medigen or Novavax. The recommended administration of the second booster is five months after the first booster.
During a press conference on Sunday (May 15), CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said in order to reduce the risk of moderate-to-severe cases in Taiwan, a second COVID booster shot will be made available starting on Monday.
According to CECC regulations, immunocompromised people who qualify include: cancer patients who are currently or have received immunosuppressive drugs in the past year, those who have received chemotherapy or radiation therapy with the past six months, organ or stem cell transplant patients, people with moderate or severe congenial immune deficiencies, dialysis patients, HIV-positive patients, people taking immunosuppressive drugs, and others who doctors have determined to be immunodeficient or immunocompromised.
In the city of Taipei, the following 19 hospitals are taking online reservations for the second boosters, according to Deputy Mayor Tsai Ping-kun (蔡炳坤):
- Taipei Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
- Taiwan Adventist Hospital
- Pojen General Hospital
- Tri-Service General Hospital Songshan Branch
- Taipei Medical University Hospital
- National Taiwan University Hospital
- Postal Hospital
- Taipei Renji Hospital
- Wanfang Hospital
- Kang-Ning General Hospital
- Taipei Veterans General Hospital
- Tri-Service General Hospital Beitou Branch
- Central Clinic and Hospital
- Taipei City Hospital Renai Branch
- Taipei City Hospital Linsen Chinese Medicine Branch
- Taipei City Hospital Zhongxing Branch
- Taipei City Hospital Yangming Branch
- Taipei City Hospital Zhongxiao Branch
- Taipei City Hospital SongDe Branch
People in Taipei eligible for the second booster can also make a reservation on the city's online COVID vaccination registration system between Tuesday and Wednesday (May 17 and May 18) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The shots will be administered from May 23-29.
