Omicron has ravaged Taiwan. Since the beginning of this year, more than 3.4 million people have been diagnosed on the island, including 13,825 moderate to severe cases, including 4,964 deaths. In response, Gao Yongguang, a professor at National Chengchi University in Taiwan, published an article in Taiwanese media saying that although the epidemic seems to have slowed down in recent days, it is an indisputable fact that people are still panicked.
Gao Yongguang mentioned that because some people predict that there are too many variants of Omicron, Taiwan may have a new peak of the epidemic in July and August. Therefore, when I met friends recently and talked about the epidemic, the issues they were most concerned about were: Do you want to take the fourth dose? Recently, it has gone viral on the Internet that former "Director of Health" Yang Zhiliang advised everyone not to be white mice and opposed the fourth dose. Although it was later confirmed that Yang Zhiliang did not say this, this rumor just proved everyone's hesitation and doubts about taking the fourth dose.
Currently, Taiwan's "Epidemic Command Center" has opened the fourth dose to the following people: Category 1 medical personnel, elderly people over 65 years old, residents of long-term care institutions, and people over 18 years old who are immunocompromised or immunocompromised and whose condition is stable. However, the "Command Center" and the "Ministry of Health and Welfare" did not explain much about the necessity of administering the fourth dose and possible future methods, and seemed not to care about the public's concerns.
Gao Yongguang said that the slogan that is still fresh in everyone's mind is "fight well, fight well". In fact, people still have doubts about therapeutic protein drugs or vaccines. People generally doubt whether the mRNA vaccine will affect the pre-existing autoimmune system. Have adverse effects. The authorities have the responsibility to explain this to the public in detail. The public are not experts and will accept as long as the explanation is reasonable. They will not have the bad feeling of being treated as laboratory animals, nor will they be generally dissatisfied with the authorities' ineffective epidemic prevention.
The current research on the administration of the fourth dose mainly comes from Israel , which is the first country in the world to administer the fourth dose. However, according to statistics as of April 5 this year among countries belonging to EU , only 9 countries recommend that people with low immune function, specific people who are more susceptible to infection, and elderly people receiving long-term care take the fourth dose ( Cyprus , Finland , France, Germany, Greece , Hungary , Ireland , Netherlands, Sweden ). Australia has provided the fourth dose to those over 65 years old, long-term caretakers and severely immunocompromised people since March 25 this year; the United States recommends that seniors over 50 years old receive the fourth dose four months after the third dose. agent.
4th dose Therefore, most countries and regions currently still hold a hesitant attitude because there are quite limited research results for reference. Especially in Israel, where vaccination is widely used among its people, research results show that the fourth dose is given 4 months after the third dose. Within 2 months after the fourth dose, the vaccine is protective against severe hospitalization and hospitalization. The death rate remained at 91%; but it dropped to 78% four months after the fourth dose.
Due to insufficient observation time and samples, the EU believes that the Israeli research results are only a preliminary reference. Therefore, the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the European Medicines Agency issued a joint statement on the fourth dose of vaccination on April 6. The statement emphasized: "There is currently no immunological scientific data proving the safety of the fourth dose. Safety and Effectiveness”.
Of course, the EU still emphasizes that the third dose of the vaccine is currently needed (as of the end of March this year, 83.3% of EU countries had received two doses, but the vaccination rate in third place was only 63.5%). As for whether to take the fourth dose, it depends on whether there are newer vaccines and whether the new crown will be popular again in summer and autumn. It is also recommended that the epidemic situation of each country or region and the epidemic situation of the people in each place should be customized. deal with.
Gao Yongguang said, is it necessary to take the fourth dose? Relevant departments of the Taiwan authorities should take the initiative to disclose more and more detailed information so that elderly people over 65 and their families can feel at ease and be willing to get vaccinated. Although the current coverage rate of the third dose of vaccine in Taiwan is 69.92%, the priority goal should still be to increase the coverage rate of the third dose.
He believes that the reason why the public is so dissatisfied with the authorities' epidemic prevention work is that every person who is seriously ill or dies from the epidemic is a deep pain for the entire family. However, the DPP does not show empathetic concern, but instead What I care more about is the accuracy of the numbers or election considerations!
