Taipei: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced on 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.
According to Focus Taiwan, the CDC made this decision 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 agency issued a news statement on Thursday afternoon detailing the change.
The new 60-day interval, developed in consultation with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, aims to allow three high-risk groups to "boost their immunity earlier" amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in Taiwan. The 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.
Approximately 760,000 individuals are expected to be eligible for a second jab starting next Wednesday. This timing allows vaccination sites to prepare for the increased demand. Currently, individuals not in the high-risk groups are only eligible for one dose of the JN.1 COVID-19 vaccine under the publicly funded vaccination program.
CDC spokesperson Lo Yi-chun explained that the current 180-day interval for high-risk groups is a strict standard suitable for periods of low COVID-19 transmission. However, the new 60-day interval reflects a more flexible approach in response to the rising number of cases.
Lo cited studies on the XBB COVID-19 vaccine, noting 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. This protection drops to 38 percent between days 60 and 119, further declines to 19 percent between days 120 and 179, and nearly disappears beyond 180 days.
The CDC also reported strong public demand for the JN.1 COVID-19 vaccine amid rising case numbers. Between May 26 and June 1, 69,000 people received the shot, marking a 1.7-fold increase from 41,000 the previous week and the highest weekly total this year.