Although much of the population has yet to receive the first dose of COVID vaccine, the government is already looking at who should be getting a third dose. Breakthrough infections are now a serious threat after several EVA Air pilots tested positive for COVID even after having had two doses of vaccine. CECC head Chen Shih-chung revealed over the weekend that plans are being made for flight crew members to get a third shot. But some experts disagree; they think high-risk groups such as front-line medical workers and severely ill patients ought to get priority to receive a third dose.
Chen Shih-chung
CECC commander
Everyone will be able to get a third dose of vaccine, but it seems no one has reached the time to get the third dose. Now if it has to be administered, we are making such a plan.
With several EVA Air pilots infected, CECC head Chen Shih-chung revealed that a third shot of vaccine for flight crew members is being planned. This has led to lively discussion among medical professionals.
Lee Ping-ing
CECC Specialist Advisory Committee member
If you require pilots to get a third shot, then what about medical workers? Should they also get a third shot? Many of us have had the first shot and have yet to get the second one. Are those who’ve gotten the second one getting priority? All this will depend on the vaccine supply and will require a comprehensive assessment. In countries where there are community infections, those who get a third shot are high-risk people with severe illness, the elderly, those with underlying health conditions and medical workers.
Most experts agree that given the current situation Taiwan is in, front-line medical workers and high-risk groups 65 years and older should get priority to get the third dose. But which vaccine should be administered?
Lee Ping-ing
CECC Specialist Advisory Committee member
If we’re going to mix vaccines, we should consider next-generation vaccines because next-generation vaccines are made with variant strains in mind. They are more effective against variant strains. But since we don’t have next-generation vaccines yet, if we are going to mix vaccines, we will have to look at the experimental results.
Voice of Chiu Cheng-hsun
Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
There are cases overseas where people had been vaccinated quite early, but with the passage of time, their antibody levels decreased, and they got breakthrough infections. We should target this group as recipients of a third dose.
However, given the limited supply of vaccines in Taiwan, former CDC head Su Ih-jen 蘇益仁thinks the government is moving in the wrong direction endeavoring to vaccinate 60% of the population at least once by year end. He believes priority should be given to the elderly, who should get the full two-dose course before everyone else. This is how severe illnesses and deaths can be effectively reduced should the delta variant really become a threat in Taiwan.
Chou Pai-chien
Taipei Medical University
The delta variant will continue to mutate, and other new variant strains may come out. What we can do is control our borders as much as we can to reduce the impact on Taiwan. At present, if possible, in addition to vaccinating the population with the first dose, it is even more necessary for high-risk groups to receive two doses within the time determined by clinical trials and scientific evidence.
How should the vaccines be distributed so that the people of Taiwan can be best protected? That’s the question to which both the CECC and medical experts have to jointly find an answer.
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