On February 6, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) reported that the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine doses in Taiwan will expire before they have been thawed between March and April, and people under 18 need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 with doses of the same brand or type for their primary series. The CECC reminds people who wish to receive their first dose to pay attention to the following matters:

A. Children aged 6 months through under 5 years need to be vaccinated with doses of the same brand for their primary series. Children in this age group who have not received the first dose of their primary series vaccination should get vaccinated with the Moderna monovalent vaccine starting today. Vaccination with the Pfizer/BioNTech as the first dose is no longer available at vaccination sites (reservations included) starting today.

B. Children aged 5 through under 12 years of age who haven't received the first dose of their primary series vaccination should get vaccinated with the Moderna monovalent vaccine after April 2. Vaccination with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine as the first dose will not be available at vaccination sites (reservations included) from April 2.

C. Adolescents aged 12 through under 18 who haven't received the first dose of their primary series vaccination should get vaccinated with the Novavax vaccine starting today. Vaccination with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine as the first dose is no longer available at vaccination sites (reservations included) starting today.

D. Individuals aged 18 and older who wish to complete their primary series vaccination with vaccines of the same brand should receive a first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine before February 21 if they choose the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. If they receive their first dose after February 22 (they can choose Pfizer/BioNTech or Novavax COVID-19 vaccine), they need to receive the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine as their second dose.