By Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe third phase of government-funded flu vaccinations started yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said, urging pregnant women, government health workers and others who are eligible for the free vaccinations to get their shots before the Lunar New Year holiday. People with rare diseases, catastrophic illness, high-risk chronic diseases or a body mass index of 30 and more, are also eligible, it added. The first round of shots focused on elementary to high-school students and medical professionals, and the second phase expanded to include preschool children and older people. Records showed that middle-aged people have lower vaccination rates, but are also at risk of serious complications from the flu, he said. “People with mild cold symptoms who do not hav a fever are still advised to get vaccinated.”As of Sunday, about 3.38 million government-funded vaccines have been administered, with about 1.24 million vaccines unused, and the last batch of about 1.42 million vaccines would be dispatched to local healthcare facilities today, he added.

Source: Taipei Times January 01, 2020 15:56 UTC