CORONAVIRUS/Taiwan to shorten COVID-19 vaccine interval to 2 months for high-risk groups

Taipei, June 6 (CNA) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced Thursday that the required interval between two COVID-19 vaccine doses for high-risk groups will be shortened from six months to two months, effective next Wednesday.

After receiving numerous inquiries from high-risk individuals seeking a second dose of the JN.1 COVID-19 vaccine before the current 180-day interval ends, the CDC decided to accommodate such requests, according to a news statement issued by the agency Thursday afternoon.

The shortened 60-day interval, introduced in consultation with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, will allow three high-risk groups to "boost their immunity earlier" amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in Taiwan, the CDC said.

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The three high-risk groups include individuals aged 65 and above, Indigenous people aged 55 to 64 and those aged six months or older with weakened immune systems, the CDC added.

Around 760,000 individuals are expected to be eligible for a second jab next Wednesday, the date set to allow vaccination sites to complete preparations to accommodate the increased demand, the statement read.

It is worth noting that individuals who are not in the high-risk groups are currently only eligible for one dose of the JN.1 COVID-19 vaccine under the publicly funded vaccination program.

CDC spokesperson Lo Yi-chun (羅一鈞) said that the current 180-day interval for high-risk groups is considered a strict standard suitable for periods of low COVID-19 transmission, while the soon-to-be-implemented 60-day interval reflects a more flexible approach in response to rising case numbers.

Citing studies on the XBB COVID-19 vaccine, Lo said that in individuals aged 65 and older, vaccine protection against COVID-19-related hospitalization is 53 percent within the first 59 days after one dose, dropping to 38 percent between days 60 and 119.

Protection from a single dose further declines to 19 percent between days 120 and 179, and to nearly zero beyond 180 days, he added.

Meanwhile, public demand for the JN.1 COVID-19 vaccine remains strong amid rising case numbers, the CDC said, noting that 69,000 people received the shot between May 26 and June 1 -- a 1.7-fold increase from 41,000 the previous week and the highest weekly total this year.