Focus Taiwan
Date: 10/06/2020
By: Chen Wei-ting and Frances Huang

Taipei, Oct. 6 (CNA) The take-up of an influenza vaccine almost doubled on the first day of the government-funded free vaccination program for high risk people on Monday, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Tuesday.

The CDC said about 399,000 of the 6 million vaccine shots available for people in at risk groups as part of the program were administered on the first day, an increase of almost 100 percent from 200,000 a year earlier, when a similar program was launched.

The CDC said the highly publicized free vaccination program has raised awareness, which boosted the take-up of the flu vaccine this year.

Speaking at a news conference, Deputy CDC Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said people 65 or older were the largest group to take the flu shot on the first day of the program, accounting for about 208,000 shots, while people aged 50-64 received roughly 100,000 shots.    [FULL  STORY]