Taipei: Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced on Tuesday that it will extend its free COVID-19 vaccination program through April 30, due to the possibility of another surge in COVID-19 cases in April or May. The program, which was initially expanded to cover the period from January 1 to February 28, will remain available to all residents aged 6 months and older, as stated by CDC Director-General Lo Yi-chun during a weekly briefing.

According to Focus Taiwan, the extension of the vaccination program is part of the CDC's strategy to prepare for a potential resurgence of COVID-19 and to minimize the risk of severe illness and fatalities. Director-General Lo highlighted that the minimal COVID-19 activity observed during the winter might increase the likelihood of a wave in the upcoming summer months.

CDC data reveals that Taiwan recorded one severe domestic COVID-19 case and one death from February 14 to 22, during the Lunar New Year holiday period. As of February 23, approximately 1.662 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the country this year, including around 52,000 doses of the Novavax vaccine.

Taiwan's current public vaccine supplies consist of approximately 180,000 doses of Novavax and 840,000 doses of Moderna, resulting in a total of 1.02 million government-funded doses available for eligible residents, according to Lo. The CDC plans to hold a meeting with experts in March to evaluate the situation and determine the quantity and schedule for new vaccine acquisitions, as stated by CDC spokesperson Lin Ming-cheng.