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CECC to test for coronavirus antibodies
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) plans to test 5,000 randomly selected blood donation samples for coronavirus antibodies as it seeks to better understand the prevalence of the disease during its peak here in Taiwan.
The blood samples slated to be tested were collected from April through July.
The CECC says the project will be testing for the neutralizing antibodies in order to get a clear picture of the geographical distribution of cases and total case numbers, as distinct from those who developed antibodies after being vaccinated.
According to officials, the test is being carried out as fewer people are now willing to be tested for coronavirus voluntarily since the domestic outbreak, which began in mid-May, has been largely brought under control over the past few weeks.
CECC spokesman Zhuang Ren-xiang says the project is being reviewed by the Institutional Review Board, which oversees ethical and regulatory issues related to clinical studies.
The results of the study are expected to be released before the end of December.
In other vaccine-related news, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung says three people experienced discomfort after receiving the locally developed Medigen coronavirus vaccine when it was rolled out on Monday.
The health minister says the three persons they were taken to the hospital, but sent home after being checked out and its believed the symptoms were likely caused by needle
phobia.
Meanwhile, health authorities in Taoyuan are investigating the death of a person who hadreceived the Medigen norovirus vaccine.
Taoyuan officials say the 56-year-old man died around 9am today, less than 24 hours after getting vaccinated.
Rescuers say when they arrived at the man's home this morning, he had no vital signs.
He posted a picture of himself getting the vaccine shot at 11am yesterday saying that his family of three had all done it, adding that scientific evidence showed that Medigen is the safest and most effective vaccine.
Health Minister Chen Shi-chung says preliminary assessment is that the man died of myocardial infarction, but the real cause of death will be determined by coroners.
Health officials say a total of 777,171 people, or 3.3% of the population, has now obtained the two vaccine shots needed to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, while 9.29 million people, or 39.5%, have received their first jab.
