The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) has rescheduled this year’s Japanese encephalitis vaccination campaign to begin on March 21, 2011, which is later than the previous year’s start date, March 1.As the Japanese encephalitis transmission season in Taiwan occurs annually between May and October, the campaign can still achieve successful herd immunity against Japanese encephalitis in time.

Taiwan CDC has requested local health bureaus and contracted hospitals to forward the reschedule notice to the general public and announce the newly rearranged vaccination schedule to parents to minimize any inconvenience caused and help facilitate vaccination of their children.In addition, Taiwan CDC has also sought full cooperation from the contracted hospitals in assisting school children in getting vaccinated.

In Taiwan, the existing routine childhood vaccination schedule recommends a 2-dose Japanese encephalitis vaccination for all toddlers aged 15 months and the 2 doses should be given two weeks apart. A booster dose should be given one year after the 2-dose primary vaccination. A second booster should be administered when the child attends first grade at elementary school. For more information on Japanese encephalitis, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or dial the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922, operated by Taiwan CDC.