Taiwanese people, surprised by the news that famous Taiwanese actor Xu Xiyuan died of pneumonia complications after contracting influenza, rushed to get vaccinated against the flu, attracting about 40,000 people a day, local media reported on the 5th.
Citing sources, the Yonhap News Agency and the China Times reported that after the news of Xu Xiyuan’s death spread, Taiwanese people’s demand for flu vaccinations surged. Many people also said they would get a flu vaccine for the first time in their lives.
In particular, 40,000 people were vaccinated against the flu on the 3rd alone, when Xu Xiyuan’s death was announced. It is the highest since November 9 last year.
Health authorities of each local government received a flurry of calls about vaccination, and some local medical institutions had more than 100 people lined up to get vaccinated from early morning the previous day. In the capital, Taipei, there were many cases where people turned away without getting vaccinated because they ran out of vaccines. Some of them moved to other regions and got shots.
In Taiwan, the remaining amount of the flu vaccine purchased by the government is only 100,000 doses (one dose), and the supply and demand of the vaccine is on alert as it is expected to be exhausted within this week.
A health official explained, “Taiwanians, who thought it somewhat uncomfortable that the death cases from the flu were limited to the elderly, became more alert and vaccinated due to Xu Xiyuan’s death.”
In this regard, Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Disease Control reassured citizens that the vaccination rate needs to exceed 23% to block the spread of flu in the community, but there is no need to worry too much about exceeding 30%.
JENNIFER KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
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