Barbie Hsu’s death prompts rush for flu vaccines

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 疾管署) announced on Monday (Feb. 3) that only 200,000 doses remain of the 678,000 flu vaccines procured this year, urging high-risk groups to get vaccinated against the flu amid a surge in cases that has led to a vaccine shortage.

The call to action follows the death of entertainer Barbie Hsu (大S) from flu-related pneumonia, sparking a rush for vaccinations. CDC held an emergency press conference to disclose the latest flu statistics later that day.

CDC spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) stated that between Jan. 19 and Jan. 25, flu-like symptoms prompted 162,352 outpatient and emergency visits, marking a decade-high for this period. The CDC projects weekly visits may reach 160,000 to 180,000. From Oct. 1 last year to Feb. 2 this year, health authorities reported 641 severe cases and 132 deaths, the highest in five years. More than 90% of those who died had not received the flu vaccine.

The rising flu cases in Taiwan correlate with international trends. Currently, 46.3% of seniors and 68.6% of preschoolers have received the vaccine. Due to limited public vaccine supplies, local governments continue to urge high-risk groups to get vaccinated promptly.

In Tainan City, over 7,400 public vaccination appointments were fully booked in less than three hours in the afternoon. Crowds flocked to the Ministry of Health and Welfare Taichung Hospital's (衛福部台中醫院) family medicine clinic, with many citing Hsu's death as a wake-up call. A 20-year-old college student revealed that he initially thought the flu was mostly fatal for the elderly, but Hsu's death at 48 made him decide to get vaccinated immediately.