Second-generation Moderna BA.4 and BA.5 vaccines are now available to everyone over 12 in Taiwan. One doctor says all vaccines, regardless of which subvariant they target, reduce the likelihood of moderate-to-severe infections and death. All 1,600 of the spots available at Taipei Stadium on the 18th were booked in advance.
A large crowd of people waits in line at Taipei Stadium to get the second-generation Moderna BA.5 vaccine. The vaccine is available as a booster to anyone over 12. All 1,600 of the available spots at Taipei Stadium for the 18th were booked in advance.
Mr. Wang, Vaccine Recipient: “I hadn't gotten my second booster yet. I waited until now for the BA.5 one.”
Ms. Lin, Vaccine Recipient: “I haven't gotten COVID yet, but I thought since (the BA.5 vaccine) provides so much protection, it wouldn't hurt to get it.”
Taiwan recently took delivery of its first batch of the new Moderna vaccines. On the morning of the 18th, 407,000 of the 703,000 vaccines were delivered to local health bureaus. One doctor says vaccines can never catch up with new variants, but research has shown they all reduce the likelihood of moderate-to-severe infections and death.
Chen Yi-ching, Epidemiologist, Taipei Chang Gung Memorial Hospital: “Those that are immunocompromised or have a major disease are five to six times more likely to develop into a moderate-to-severe case than the average person. Getting vaccinated greatly reduces your chances of becoming a moderate-to-severe case.”
The Central Epidemic Command Center says the majority of infections in Taiwan are BA.5 right now and everyone should get vaccinated as soon as possible.
上午9時不到，台北田徑場疫苗接種站就湧入大批人潮，因為莫德納BA.5次世代疫苗，18日週五開打，提供12歲以上民眾接種追加劑。上、下午場次各800個名額，都已被預約額滿，打氣相當踴躍。
接種疫苗民眾王先生表示：「追加劑的部分，第4劑還沒有打，所以故意選這個BA.5來打的。」
接種疫苗民眾林小姐說：「我是現在還沒有確診，我想說（BA.5疫苗）反正保護力那麼好，那可以打就來打這樣子。」
疫情指揮中心採購首批70.3萬劑莫德納BA.4/5次世代疫苗日前到貨，18日上午將40.7萬劑分送到各地衛生局。醫師表示，疫苗研發速度永遠趕不上新興變異株出現，不過國內外研究已證實，不論是接種原始株，或是BA.1、BA.5次世代疫苗，都能有效降低染疫後發生重症及死亡的風險。
台北長庚感染科醫師陳苡靜說明：「免疫力比較不好、有重大傷病的這些人，他們得病以後變成中重症的機會，其實是沒有重大傷病身分的人至少5倍到6倍。打疫苗對你感染之後會不會變成中重症，其實還是有一個很大的效果。」
疫情指揮中心強調，現階段本土疫情仍以BA.5病毒株為主，疫情回升、風險持續存在，呼籲民眾應盡速完成疫苗接種，以提升保護力。