As COVID-19 cases surge in Taiwan, some medical facilities in the capital city of Taipei are running out of vaccine supplies, preventing citizens from receiving their shots.
According to the China Times, the number of COVID-19 outpatient and emergency room visits has increased for six consecutive weeks. With a spike in vaccine demand, some healthcare institutions in Taipei have reported a lack of available doses.
The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that from July 12 to 18, there were 4,766 COVID-19 outpatient and emergency visits, a 66.5% increase from the previous week. Authorities have indicated that Taiwan has entered a significant phase of COVID-19 transmission.
On July 23, Taipei's health authorities initially requested 1,900 vaccine doses, but due to the surge in demand, they applied for an additional 4,100 doses the following day. The total needed rose to 6,000 doses, leading to delays in supply from the central government.
The CDC has coordinated with other local governments to prioritize the distribution of 300 doses to Taipei. An additional 6,000 doses are expected to be supplied and allocated to healthcare facilities on July 27 and 28.
The CDC stated that there are currently about 440,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses available across Taiwan, ensuring that overall supply remains stable. However, they noted that it takes about three days to transition vaccines from frozen to refrigerated storage for delivery, which hindered their ability to respond immediately to the sudden increase in demand.
Last week, approximately 2,500 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered, doubling the number from the previous week. Authorities anticipate that the demand for vaccinations may increase by another twofold in the near future.
CDC Deputy Director Chuang Jen-hsiang projected that the COVID-19 outbreak could peak in mid to late August, with cases potentially rising to as many as 50,000.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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