Over 50% of students in Taoyuan, Miaoli take leave after jab 校園BNT開打  桃.苗有學校逾半數學生請假

Local authorities say the number has dropped to 1/5, or 6,000 students, asking for another day as their “vaccination leave”.

Presenter: On the third day of BNT vaccinations at schools, more than half of the students have taken leaves in Taoyuan and Miaoli. Additionally, parents of 14 players on Yunlin County's womens' football team did not approve of their children to play at the National Games because they were not vaccinated.

It's the third day of BNT vaccinations for students across the country. More than half of the students that have received shots have taken vaccination leaves in Taoyuan and Miaoli. 29,250 students have already received shots in Taoyuan City. 6,144 students take vaccination leave on the 24th, as the ratio dropped to 21 percent.

Lin Ming-yu, Director, Department of Education, Taoyuan:”Two schools were vaccinated on September 22. Half of the students asked for leave the next day. Today, the number has dropped and we estimated only 20 percent of students have taken vaccination leave and stayed home.”

The Education Department stated the adverse effects that students are experiencing are mostly fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. The school vaccinations are happening during the same time as the women's football tournament at the National Games. 14 of the 16 members on Yunlin County Women's Football Team are under the age of 18 and have not been vaccinated yet. Their parents refuse to let their children participate in the tournament. Yunlin County Government thus issued a forfeit statement.

Chiu Hsiao-wen, Director, Education Department, Yunlin County:”Parents are not at ease their kids aren't vaccinated. Thus, we had no choice but to forfeit because the vaccine shots are the same time as the tournament.”

Liao Chun-chieh, Football Team Coach:”Playing at the National Games is a rare opportunity because it's only once every two years. I wanted to take this opportunity to let our kids compete against teams from other areas.”

Football Team Member:” It's a bit sad because I can't compete in the tournament.”

Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan estimated that including Taoyuan City, the vaccine coverage rate across the country will be 70 percent of people who will have received the first dose, and 30 percent of people getting the second dose, by the end of October. The mayor will advise the Central Epidemic Command Center to assess its national alert level based on the vaccine coverage rate. This way, the public can lead a more normal life under the premise of personal epidemic protection and prevention.

BNT疫苗校園開打第三天，有大批學生接種後請疫苗假，桃園、苗栗甚至有學校超過一半學生請假。桃園市最新學生接種人數2萬9250人，24號請疫苗假學生6144人，請假比降到21%。

桃市教育局長 林明裕：「9月22號當天施打了2個學校，隔天有一半的孩子請假，今天我們統計了，稍微減到剩2成的孩子需要在家休息。」

桃園市教育局表示，目前學生施打普遍是高燒、疲倦、肌肉痠痛，並無特殊不良反應。另外，學生接種疫苗也影響正在進行賽事的全運會女足賽，雲林縣女足隊16名隊員中有14名未滿18歲，還沒接種疫苗，家長不同意孩子參賽，雲林縣府發文大會放棄比賽。

雲林縣教育處長 邱孝文：「家長認為沒有施打疫苗他們不放心，因為整個疫苗的速度跟選手參賽的時間沒辦法做搭配，以至於讓選手不得不放棄這次的比賽。」

足球隊指導老師 廖俊傑：「因為全運會這個機會滿難得的啦，就2年一次嘛，想說有這個機會的話，就讓小朋友去外面看看其他球隊。」

足球隊員：「有點難過說，不能去跟其他人比賽。」

針對疫苗涵蓋率，桃園市長鄭文燦預估，10月底前全國民眾施打第一劑可達7成、第二劑可達3成，他將建議中央流行疫情指揮中心，依疫苗涵蓋率評估全國警戒降級，讓民眾能在做好個人防護前提下，正常消費、正常旅遊。