Taiwan’s health authorities have boosted immunizations for schoolchildren due to concerns about the death of youngsters from COVID-19. Two young boys, aged 5 and 6, were among the 127 people who perished as a result of 80,835 local COVID-19 infections recorded on Saturday (May 28). The Central Epidemic Command Center said1.2 million Taiwanese children between the ages of 6 and 11 live in poverty, according to Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung, who also oversees the CECC. Children’s fatality rates are worrying, despite the fact that they are not particularly high.
Thus, the current spike of Omicron cases has sparked some frenzied online criticism in a country that had previously been relatively untouched by COVID mortality. As a result of this, there have been rumors that the sickness has killed more children than have been officially reported.
Antony Kuo and others have been investigated for spreading claims that “so many” children have died from COVID online. The IORG (Information Operations Research Group) in Taiwan found on Saturday that Facebook was the medium via which a coordinated effort to propagate false information was conducted.
Parents’ concerns about their children’s safety and societal hysteria at a record number of deaths may not be the only reasons why people are so concerned about the number of kid deaths. It’s also possible that it stems from the widespread belief that immunising the nation’s children against COVID is taking too long because of concerns about adverse effects.
To date, it appears that caution has been the watchword. CECC appears to be taking a more aggressive approach to addressing the issue of immunizing children, given the rise in cases and fatalities, particularly among children.
CNA reported on Monday (May 30) that second doses of the vaccine are being pushed in junior high schools across the country.
A child inoculation station will be set up in each district of Taipei from May 28 to 31, according to the city’s health office, to offer the vaccination to kindergarteners. Parents can also get their children immunized at one of 16 COVID pediatric clinics at hospitals during this time period.
By the 10th of June, New Taipei hopes to have all children inoculated in local schools.
Two days after beginning vaccines for children on May 25, Tainan supplied 11,029 inoculations, and doctors are also visiting schools to provide further immunizations.
Vaccines from Pfizer BNT were obtained for an additional 12,000 youngsters in Taichung.
This past Sunday, Kaohsiung unveiled five new community vaccination facilities for children, as a school-based immunization campaign continues.
On Sunday, the city of Keelung put up a vaccination centre for children near the Keelung Train Station.
According to a mid-May CNA report, 88.9 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds in Taiwan have had their first vaccine and 80.9 percent have received their second. Vaccination rates for children aged 5 to 11 are estimated by the CECC to be around 30%, according to the UDN.
In Taiwan, children make for around 20% of all COVID infections. With this number in mind National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital Superintendent Huang Li-min advised parents to get their children immunised immediately.