Taiwan’s New Shot: President Tsai Takes the Lead
On Monday, 23 August, the Republic of China (Taiwan) starts rolling out its very own Covid‑19 vaccine. The big boss, President Tsai Ing‑wen, will be the first to get jabbed—an easy way to prove the thing’s safe.
Why the fuss? Why the hype?
- First domestically‑made vaccine – meet Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp’s Covid‑19 shot. The name basically means “high‑end,” and the big guys say it won’t turn you into a lab rat.
- 700,000+ eager seekers – folks in Taiwan have already signed up for the Medigen dose.
- Government fast‑tracks approval – last month they pushed it through emergency use, citing lagging international shipments.
- “No one’s forced to get it” – a nice reminder that vaccination is a choice.
- Big shipment on the way – the state ordered an initial run of five million doses.
President Tsai’s “What’s The Deal?”
Ms Tsai decided to skip the usual Moderna and AstraZeneca shots and jump straight to Medigen. “It’s safe, and side‑effects are almost non‑existent, with barely any fever,” says CEO Charles Chen. He paints a picture of “tons of data, scientific proof, and a solid antibody response.”
Opposition strikes back
The Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan’s main opposition, isn’t about to let this go unheard. Former vice‑chairman Hau Lung‑bin filed a lawsuit to halt Medigen’s approvals, but the court declined.
- “No white rats”—KMT deputy Ho Chih‑yung blames the rushed timeline and urges the health of Taipines to remain above lab experimentation.
- While they say they’re “team‑players” for any domestic vaccine, the accusation is that the delay in official green‑lighting may have been a misstep.
The big picture of Taiwan’s Covid status
- Only a handful of new infections each day – the pandemic is pretty well under control.
- About 40 % of the total 23.5 million residents have at least one dose (AstraZeneca or Moderna).
- Less than 5 % are fully vaccinated with the two‑dose series.
- Thus, pressure to sprint the campaign is light compared to other Asian neighbors.
So, you can see why the people of Taiwan are buzzing hard. With a new vaccine in house, a jottable leadership lead, and a dash of political drama, the story is about to get a little more interesting. Stay tuned, and keep your handah‑out‑of‑our‑mask news!
