The recently occurred meningococcal meningitis outbreak in Africa has led to an acute vaccine shortage. As a result, the shipment of meningitis vaccine was not delivered as planned in June, but is expected to arrive in the end of August instead. The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) urges travelers to postpone all travels to high-risk countries in Africa since vaccination is required for visa application.   Students planning to study in those countries are urge to receive the vaccine when they arrive in the countries.

Meningococcal meningitis is a bacterial form of meningitis that is transmitted from person-to-person through droplets of respiratory or throat secretions from carriers. The currently in-use meningococcal quadrivalent vaccines protect against 4 types of meningococcal bacteria: types A, C, Y and W-135. On average, approximately 2 to 6 cases of meningococcal meningitis cases are reported in Taiwan each year. In addition, meningitis B is the dominant strain in Taiwan, which is not protected by the quadrivalent vaccine. Therefore, the quadrivalent vaccine is not included in the routine vaccination program in Taiwan. The vaccine is only available through importation by Taiwan CDC and for self-paid vaccination at the outpatient travel clinic at 26 contracted hospitals in the nation.

To ward off infection, people planning to travel overseas before the end of August are advised to visit the outpatient travel clinic at 26 contracted hospitals in the nation to seek relevant prevention measures, pay attention to hand hygiene and cough etiquette, and receive the vaccine after they arrive in the country of destination. Taiwan CDC appreciates the public’s understanding in this vaccine shortage. For any questions or further information, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).