The Miaoli County became the first in Taiwan to cast a no-confidence vote against domestic vaccines after its Council passed a motion unanimously to ban vaccines that are not internationally certified.
I would ask my dear colleagues to start discussing the motion of "implementing international-certified vaccines in Miaoli.”
On Aug. 17, the Miaoli County Council passed a motion proposed by the Kuomintang caucus, calling on for a ban on COVID-19 vaccines that are not internationally certified.
Chung Tung-chin, Miaoli County Council Speaker” Does anyone object to Motion 15? If not, it is hereby passed.”
The County Magistrate Hsu Yao-chang reminded residents to book a Medigen Vaccine on a Facebook post on Aug. 16 and faced the motion tabled by his own party on the next day. The KMT caucus says its move is not against the domestic vaccine, but to demand a comprehensive trial before authorising a vaccination. The motion was passed unanimously and became the first no-confidence vote against domestic vaccines among municipalities.
Chiang Tsun-kuei, KMT Caucus Secretary, Miaoli County Council:” You're forcing your vaccine on us when you didn't even bother with a Phase 3 clinical trial? Citizens are forced to go down this road because you can't get enough vaccines. Are you going to take responsibility for the health issues that arise?”
Chang Jui-hsieh, Director, Health Bureau, Miaoli County:” We are following the central government's vaccination policy. We vaccinate residents based on the distribution of vaccines we get from the central government.”
Citizen:” Everyone has the freedom to decide if they want to get vaccinated. There's no way I'm getting Medigen. That's all.”
The motion is not legally binding and cannot be enforced. The county health bureau says its hands are tied as it can only administer whatever vaccines the central government decides to allocate to the county.
建請縣府同仁於縣內施打經國際認證之新冠肺炎疫苗一案，提請審議。
苗栗縣議會17號舉行臨時會最後一天議程臨時動議，國民黨團提案，建請苗栗縣政府，在苗栗施打的新冠肺炎疫苗，都必須經過國際認證，才能給縣民施打，議會無異議通過。
苗栗縣議會議長 鍾東錦：「各位議員同仁，對動之15號案有沒有什麼意見，沒有的話，照原案通過。」
國民黨籍縣長徐耀昌，16號還在臉書上提醒民眾，可以上網預約接種高端疫苗，沒想到隔天同黨籍民代就在議會發難。議會國民黨團表示，不反對國產疫苗，但希望在完成相關的科學程序驗證後，再提供給縣民施打，不能把民眾當成白老鼠。當時包括民進黨、無黨籍議員多人在場，都未提出異議，這是國內地方議會第一個對國產疫苗的不信任投票。
苗栗縣議會國民黨團書記長 江村貴：「你沒有經過三期的實驗，就現在要強迫我們民眾去打。在沒有疫苗期間，逼不得已要選擇這條路，那他們的健康要誰來重視。」
苗栗縣衛生局長 張蕊仙：「我們也是配合中央的疫苗政策，中央撥配什麼樣的疫苗下來，我們就按照中央的撥配給鄉親接種。」
民眾：「打不打都是人民的選擇，我是堅持不打高端，就這樣就好。」
這項臨時動議雖並非法律案，沒有強制力，僅代表苗栗縣議會國民黨團立場，苗栗縣衛生局也表示，疫苗施打屬於中央職權，衛生局只能遵照中央規定施打中央撥發的各種疫苗，打不打國產疫苗，選擇權最後還是落在民眾手上。
