Lo I-chun: COVID-19 May Surge This Summer; Expanded Vaccination Extended to End of July

TAIPEI (CNA) — CDC Director Lo I-chun stated today that a summer wave of COVID-19 cannot be ruled out. With 900,000 doses currently in stock, the expanded vaccination program for all citizens will be extended to July 31. Plans are also underway to procure a new formulation for the autumn, featuring lower dosages and fewer side effects. Lo noted that Taiwan has experienced summer peaks in the past two years, typically in mid-June or early July. Monitoring will intensify in late May to detect any upward trends, possibly driven by the BA.3.2 variant. As of April 26, approximately 1.69 million people have been vaccinated this season. Current inventory includes 165,000 doses of Novavax and 738,000 doses of Moderna. Since Novavax doses expire on April 30, the CDC has procured an additional 10,000 doses for summer readiness. For the upcoming autumn and winter season, Taiwan will introduce a new Moderna formula containing only 1/5 of the original antigen dosage. This version, already approved in the US, is expected to reduce side effects like fever and swelling by half. Procurement is expected to start in July after the WHO confirms the target strain in June, with an aim to begin administration on October 1. Total procurement for the next season is estimated at around 2.5 million doses, slightly lower than last year.