TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — COVID vaccinations for children ages six to 11 can begin at schools on May 2, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said Tuesday (April 26).
The vaccination of children has grown into a key issue as COVID cases have increased and caused suspensions of classes at hundreds of schools. On Tuesday, Taiwan reported a single-day record of 6,295 local infections, a rise of more than 1,000 from the previous day.
Schools should still give parents at least seven days’ time to decide whether they want their child vaccinated at school, CNA reported. If a child suffers adverse side effects from the shot, three days of vaccination leave will be allowed.
The MOE told schools to notify parents about the campaign and collect their views to gauge how many want their children to receive COVID-19 shots on campus and how many prefer to do so at registered clinics and hospitals.
On the day of the vaccinations, the class schedule should be altered to allow effective supervision of the students’ response to the shots. In addition, children should not take part in excessively strenuous activities for at least two weeks, the MOE said.
A cargo of 200,400 Moderna vaccine doses, including shots suitable for children, arrived in Taiwan last Saturday (April 23). They will expire on July 29.
