The Central Epidemic Command Center on Monday announced that all nationals 65 years old and above are recommended to receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, the center also announced that the BioNTech vaccine will become available for people 18 years old and older starting mid-December.
With news of the new variant of COVID-19 Omicron, the Central Epidemic Command Center is recommending a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to lower the possibility of breakthrough infections. That was after consulting the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The recommendation is for those 65 years old and above, as well as those who are patients and workers at long-term care facilities. As for those 18 years old and above, they can assess their risk of infection and their willingness to receive a third dose after a doctor’s diagnosis.
Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said that the second and third dose must be administered at least six months apart from each other. Chen said if there’s a need to travel abroad, then the time period can be shortened to five months. The third dose can be either the same vaccine as the second jab or a different vaccine. However Chen said if the second jab was already a different vaccine from the first, he would recommend the third dose to be the same as the second dose. Chen estimates that the third dose rollout will begin around January 1.
As for the BioNTech vaccine for those 18 years old and above, the ACIP recommends that there should be an interval of at least 12 weeks between the first and second doses. The center said it will cooperate with local health bureaus on mapping out a time schedule for the rollout to begin starting mid-December on school campuses.