Tainan Promotes RSV Vaccine Subsidy, Vulnerable Pregnant Women Receive Free Vaccination
Tainan City Government announced a "Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine Vaccination Subsidy Program," offering free vaccinations to pregnant women between 28 and 36 weeks of gestation who are from low-income and middle-to-low-income households, to strengthen maternal and child health care.
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- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 14:28
- 🔍 Collected: May 5, 2026 at 15:01 (33 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 5, 2026 at 15:14 (13 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Yang Szu-jui, Tainan, 5th) Tainan City Government today announced the launch of the "Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine Vaccination Subsidy Program," providing free vaccinations to pregnant women between 28 and 36 weeks of gestation who are from low-income and middle-to-low-income households, to strengthen maternal and child health care.
Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che stated at a press conference held today at the Yonghua Municipal Center that safeguarding the health of newborns is a crucial responsibility of the city government. He hopes that the subsidy will alleviate the burden on vulnerable pregnant women, allowing every child to grow up on a more equitable starting line.
Huang Wei-che stated that vaccine vaccination measures will be promoted sequentially, prioritizing vulnerable groups such as low-income and middle-to-low-income households, especially pregnant women, to reduce financial pressure and enhance overall protection. Through vaccination during pregnancy, the mother can produce antibodies and transfer them to the newborn, providing the infant with protection from birth.
Huang Wei-che emphasized that the effectiveness of vaccines in disease prevention has been fully substantiated. Taking the flu vaccine as an example, it has effectively reduced the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death, demonstrating the importance of vaccination for public health. He urged the public to actively cooperate with the vaccination policy to jointly protect their own and their families' health.
Lai Chun-liang, Chairman of the Tainan City Medical Association, pointed out that studies show that the hospitalization rate and emergency visit rate for RSV patients are about 16 times higher than for flu patients, and the mortality rate is about 5 times higher. Furthermore, there is currently no specific cure, with symptomatic treatment being the main approach. Therefore, prevention is particularly crucial. Vaccination of pregnant women can transfer maternal antibodies through the placenta, providing newborns with protection from birth and effectively reducing the risk of infection.
The Tainan City Health Bureau provided data indicating that RSV is one of the main causes of lower respiratory tract infections in infants, with most hospitalized cases concentrated in infants under 6 months old, and the highest risk in infants under 3 months old. Considering the financial burden of self-funded vaccination for pregnant women from low-income and middle-to-low-income households, and the relative difficulty in accessing medical resources, the city government planned subsidy measures to strengthen maternal and child care.
The Health Bureau pointed out that the program targets pregnant women registered in Tainan City, between 28 and 36 weeks of gestation, and who meet the qualifications for low-income or middle-to-low-income households. Starting today, appointments can be made at all 37 district health centers in the city. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150505
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(Central News Agency reporter Yang Szu-jui, Tainan, 5th) Tainan City Government today announced the launch of the "Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine Vaccination Subsidy Program," providing free vaccinations to pregnant women between 28 and 36 weeks of gestation who are from low-income and middle-to-low-income households, to strengthen maternal and child health care.
Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che stated at a press conference held today at the Yonghua Municipal Center that safeguarding the health of newborns is a crucial responsibility of the city government. He hopes that the subsidy will alleviate the burden on vulnerable pregnant women, allowing every child to grow up on a more equitable starting line.
Huang Wei-che stated that vaccine vaccination measures will be promoted sequentially, prioritizing vulnerable groups such as low-income and middle-to-low-income households, especially pregnant women, to reduce financial pressure and enhance overall protection. Through vaccination during pregnancy, the mother can produce antibodies and transfer them to the newborn, providing the infant with protection from birth.
Huang Wei-che emphasized that the effectiveness of vaccines in disease prevention has been fully substantiated. Taking the flu vaccine as an example, it has effectively reduced the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death, demonstrating the importance of vaccination for public health. He urged the public to actively cooperate with the vaccination policy to jointly protect their own and their families' health.
Lai Chun-liang, Chairman of the Tainan City Medical Association, pointed out that studies show that the hospitalization rate and emergency visit rate for RSV patients are about 16 times higher than for flu patients, and the mortality rate is about 5 times higher. Furthermore, there is currently no specific cure, with symptomatic treatment being the main approach. Therefore, prevention is particularly crucial. Vaccination of pregnant women can transfer maternal antibodies through the placenta, providing newborns with protection from birth and effectively reducing the risk of infection.
The Tainan City Health Bureau provided data indicating that RSV is one of the main causes of lower respiratory tract infections in infants, with most hospitalized cases concentrated in infants under 6 months old, and the highest risk in infants under 3 months old. Considering the financial burden of self-funded vaccination for pregnant women from low-income and middle-to-low-income households, and the relative difficulty in accessing medical resources, the city government planned subsidy measures to strengthen maternal and child care.
The Health Bureau pointed out that the program targets pregnant women registered in Tainan City, between 28 and 36 weeks of gestation, and who meet the qualifications for low-income or middle-to-low-income households. Starting today, appointments can be made at all 37 district health centers in the city. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150505
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The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.