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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 CDC announces two new state-funded PCV shots
Centers for Disease Control Director-General Philip Lo speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA
LARGE RISE: Officials said there were 10,605 hospital visits for COVID-19 last week, up from 4,766 the week before, including 42 severe cases and two deaths
By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
New single-dose 20-valent and 21-valent government-funded pneumococcal conjugate vaccines （PCV） are to be available from Aug. 10, the Centers for Disease Control （CDC） said yesterday.
The centers also reported that there were 10,605 hospital visits for COVID-19 last week — more than double the previous week — while this year’s first death from Japanese encephalitis case was also confirmed.
CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui （曾淑慧） said cases of invasive pneumococcal disease （IPD） are reported throughout the year, with people aged 65 or older making up the majority.
An accumulated 156 cases have been confirmed so far this year, including 19 deaths, similar to the levels of previous years, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Deputy Director Lee Chia-lin （李佳琳） said.
The CDC since Jan. 15 has offered a single-dose 20-valent PCV to people at higher risk of IPD and eligible for the government-funded vaccine, replacing the two-dose regime, which included a 13-valent PCV dose and a 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide shot.
CDC Director-General Philip Lo （羅一鈞） yesterday announced that from Aug. 10, a new one-dose 21-valent PCV would be made available for the government-funded vaccination program, with the two single-dose 20-valent and 21-valent vaccines to fully replace the original two-dose regime.
Indigenous people aged 50 to 64, all people aged 65 or older, and people aged 19 to 64 with conditions listed as high risk of IPD are eligible, the CDC said.
Eligible people would only need to get one dose, either the 20-valent or the 21-valent shot, to have sufficient protection, Lo said.
Both shots protect against most of the 10 common strains that most commonly cause severe illness, he said, adding that the information would be made public for people to choose which dose they prefer.
The CDC has purchased 750,000 doses, 450,000 of the 20-valent vaccine and 300,000 of the 21-valent vaccines, which is estimated to last for about two years, Lo said.
Vaccine coverage among elderly people has increased to 36 percent from 31 percent since the single-dose vaccine was introduced in January, and the CDC hopes to increase the coverage among eligible people to 40 percent by the end of the year, he said.
Meanwhile, hospital visits for COVID-19 have increased for seven consecutive weeks, with case number rising to 10,605 last week, from 4,766 the week before, Lee said, adding that 42 severe cases and two deaths were confirmed.
Of the 42 severe cases, 69 percent were elderly people, while 83.3 percent were not vaccinated this season — which began in October last year — she said.
The NB.1.8.1 variant of COVID-19 is the most common strain for local and imported cases, she said.
CDC physician Lin Yung-ching （林詠青） said that one of the severe cases last week was a child under one year old who was old enough to get vaccinated, but had not been.
The child is being treated in an intensive care unit, Lin said.
Aside from personal preventive measures against respiratory diseases, the CDC encourages people aged six months or older to get vaccinated, especially those with higher risks of severe illness, he said.
People should also seek treatment as soon as possible when symptoms arise, he added.
The peak period of the wave of COVID-19 infections is estimated to be around Aug. 16, with 51,000 weekly cases possible, while a significant decline in cases is expected in late September, Lo said.
He added that 7,607 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered last week, more than triple from the previous week.
An additional 108,000 doses would be allocated to local governments this week and there are about 437,000 doses available, which is estimated to be enough for those who need it, he said.
The CDC also reported two new cases of Japanese encephalitis, both in Taoyuan, with one person dying of the disease.
Parents are urged to take their young child to get two doses of Japanese encephalitis vaccine in line with the routine childhood immunization program, while adults who frequently visit higher-risk areas should consult a doctor to get an extra vaccine shot paid out of pocket, Lin said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
