Health officials warn of uptick in flu infections ahead of Spring Festival

Health officials warn of uptick in flu infections ahead of Spring Festival

2025-01-09

The Lunar New Year is fast approaching, a holiday for getting together with friends and family and traveling in Taiwan and abroad. Though fun and festive, these activities could also result in a spike in infectious diseases, such as seasonal flu. On Thursday, government officials urged the public to get vaccinated to avoid spending the holiday sick in bed.

The peak of the Spring Festival flu season is almost upon us, with an expected 150,000 weekly visits to medical centers. Lawmaker Wang Cheng-hsu on Thursday gathered the health minister and medical sector representatives for a press conference on the infection risks during the holiday.

Wang Cheng-hsu
Lawmaker (DPP)
During the nine-day period a lot of people will be traveling abroad, or returning to their hometowns. They’ll be taking time off work, attending New Year’s celebrations and gatherings. We’re concerned that these events could mark the start of a new wave of infections, as has been the case in the past three or four years.

Chiu Tai-yuan
Minister of health
Since 2018, we’ve been holding this press conference every year ahead of the Lunar New Year.

As the former head of the Taiwan Medical Association, Chiu Tai-yuan urged the general public to follow advice from the government and get vaccinated.

Philip Lo
Centers for Disease Control
Since Jan. 1 flu shots have been available to everyone. If more people are willing to get vaccinated, there will be fewer people seeing doctors. In turn, people in the medical sector and us will feel more at ease this holiday season.

Wang Chun-chieh
Keelung City Medical Association
We shouldn’t ignore the fact that, although seasonal flu accounts for the most cases, there are still a couple of COVID infections. Doing exercise is very important. A healthy immune system can prevent other infections.

A recent measles outbreak has caused a rush to get vaccines, and reports say local clinics are running out of stock. The health ministry urged for calm, saying that supply is sufficient for those willing to pay for a jab out of pocket.

Chiu Tai-yuan
Minister of health
We have a total of 270,000 doses from both companies, which will be provided to people who want to pay for a shot. Testing is underway for an additional 9,000 doses, which will be administered by month’s end.

There are enough vaccines for medical professionals and for people heading overseas. If you do unfortunately fall ill during the holidays, medical centers will have special Lunar New Year clinics around the country to start the Year of the Snake in good health.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

春節流感恐達高峰期名醫立委.衛福部長共同推防疫

2025-01-09

春節將屆，南北往返人流增加，恐加劇流感和麻疹等疫情，名醫立委王正旭今天邀請衛福部長邱泰源及醫界代表，共同出席春節防疫記者會，呼籲強化防疫要趁過年以前。

春節流感將達到高峰，一周將上看15萬人就醫，立委王正旭邀請衛福部長邱泰源和醫界參加春節防疫記者會，呼籲民眾過年要注意染病風險。

[[立委(民) 王正旭]]
“九天的過程裡面，蠻多的民眾會出國旅遊，或者是在國內會有一些返鄉、休假、拜年、聚會，這個行程裡面我們很擔心，如果像三年四年前，又引發另外一波的疫情”

[[衛福部長邱泰源]]
“在每一年過年之前，大概從民國107年開始，我們就每年在過年前，都會開這個(記者)會”

出身醫師公會全聯會的邱泰源，也呼籲民眾多注意政府防疫宣導，該打的疫苗盡早施打。

[[疾管署副署長羅一鈞]]
“一月一號開始之後，我們衛福部已經開放，全民都可以來接種流感疫苗，如果更多人願意來打疫苗，讓得流感掛病號的人數降低，我想我們跟醫界都可以，比較放心安心，大家過個好年”

[[基隆市醫師公會理事長王俊傑]]
“我們不要忽略說，其實流感第一名以外，新冠其實它還是有一些少數的案例。運動還是很重要，你有了一個免疫力，才能避免別的傳染”

而近期麻疹疫情燒，傳出民眾搶打潮導致基層缺貨叫不到麻疹疫苗，衛福部呼籲目前自費疫苗都足夠，呼籲民眾不要恐慌。

[[衛福部長邱泰源]]
“兩家總共有，大概2.7萬的(麻疹)疫苗，會提供自費的疫苗，還有9千多劑目前，在食藥署檢驗中，趕在月底之前(施打)”

呼籲疫苗留給醫護人員和出國民眾，而春節期間身體不舒服，醫療院所也設有春節門診，各縣市醫師紛紛嚴陣以待，春節守護國人健康。

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