CDC: new 5-in-1 jab for children

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced yesterday that they will include a five-in-one vaccination for children in the regular vaccination plans for infants to replace the three-in-one vaccination and the oral poliovirus vaccine.

CDC will introduce the new five-in-one jab against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and poliovirus on March 1. In the past, parents have to self-finance the vaccination which needs four injections and costs NT$800-1200 for each injection. The new policy would save parents about NT$4,000.

The new vaccination is an inactivated polio vaccine instead of the old live oral polio vaccine, according to CDC, which is safer, and would greatly reduce the possibility of fever, swells of the injected area, and other side effects. Except that it should not be taken within a month of the Japanese encephalitis, it can be taken with any other vaccinations.

The four injections for the new vaccination should be taken when the infant is two-months-old, four-months-old, six-months-old and 18-months-old.

CDC said some infants might feel tired and painful after the vaccination and they should recover within two to three days. If there are any abnormal reactions, parents should report to the local health departments and seek medical advices. The public can call 1922 for any enquiries.