100,000 flu shots administered in two days after Barbie Hsu’s death｜Taiwan News [CsqpJmWC02l]
Demand for the flu vaccine has exploded after celebrity actor Barbie Hsu died of flu during the Lunar New Year break. According to the CDC, some 200,000 shots remained available on Monday under the government’s free vaccination program. In just two days, 110,000 shots were administered, leaving just 90,000 doses available on Wednesday. Amid the rapid depletion of stocks these past three days, some members of the public have voiced their criticism, saying that the government should have prepared more vaccines. Let’s hear the response from medical professionals. Lin Yung-zen Grassroots Medical Association The government funded vaccines weren’t used up before the start of the New Year, which is why they opened up eligibility to everyone. The issue should be blamed on the general public’s lax attitude toward vaccines. Nobody wanted them before. So you can’t blame the government for not procuring enough. Chang Feng-yee Infectious Diseases Society The vaccination program is planned in advance, with vaccines purchased for high risk groups. The CDC keeps the shots for them, but not everyone wants to get vaccinated, so we are left with the remaining shots now. Asking the government to get more now is a step too far. The sudden demand for flu vaccines has left doctors feeling frustrated, as long lines formed outside vaccination sites in Hsinchu and Yilan. The government’s vaccination program rolled out last October, initially for high-risk groups. But there were barely any takers, despite the promotional campaigns launched by the government. As of Dec. 16, nearly one million vaccines remained unused. It was only then that it was announced that eligibility would expand to everyone starting Jan. 1. For more Taiwan news, tune in: Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152 Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53 #台灣新聞 #TaiwanNews #民視新聞 #FTV新聞 #Taiwan