Taiwan to add rotavirus vaccine to free immunization program in 2027

Taipei, June 30 (CNA) Taiwan will include the rotavirus vaccine in its publicly funded childhood immunization program starting in 2027, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced Tuesday.

CDC Director-General Lo Yi-chun (羅一鈞) said that two of the country's authorized rotavirus vaccines -- a two-dose vaccine and three-dose vaccine -- will be included at public expense.

Children are prone to rotavirus, which can cause serious diarrhea resulting in hospitalization. Rotavirus is responsible for about half of gastroenteritis cases among children under age 5, according to the CDC.

The vaccines currently cost between NT$5,500 and NT$6,000 (US$186-US$203).

Infants born after June this year will be eligible under the new policy, with about 120,000 children expected to benefit during the program's first year, the CDC said, adding that infants eligible for the vaccine must be at least six weeks old and not older than eight months.

Infants who have already received one of the vaccine shots before the program begins will still be eligible to receive the remaining doses at public expense, the CDC noted.

Lo said both vaccine brands are more than 90 percent effective at preventing severe rotavirus gastroenteritis, reducing the risk of children being hospitalized for stomach flu.

For infants receiving the two-dose vaccine, the CDC recommends administering the doses at two months and four months of age. For those receiving the three-dose vaccine, the recommended schedule is at two, four and six months of age.

The interval between doses should be at least four weeks, Lo said.

The CDC said the rotavirus vaccine is administered orally. Once it is added to the publicly funded immunization program, Taiwan will provide 10 vaccines free of charge, protecting against 15 infectious diseases.