The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) publicly funded flu vaccine for the 2026 program year (2026-2027 flu season) runs in two stages. Stage 1, from October 1, 2026, covers 11 groups, including people aged 65 or over, Indigenous people aged 55 or over, children from 6 months old to before elementary school entry, pregnant women, people with underlying conditions and students. Stage 2, from November 2, opens to adults aged 50 to 64 without high-risk chronic disease. The vaccine itself is free. You get it at about 4,000 contracted clinics and hospitals nationwide or at community vaccination sites in each city and county, and you need to bring your National Health Insurance (NHI) card and the relevant supporting documents (such as the child health booklet or the maternal health booklet).
Note: This article is compiled from the Taiwan CDC's "2026 influenza vaccination program" (July 2026) and its press releases from August to October 2026, and applies only to the 2026 program year. The program says vaccination continues until the vaccine runs out, and if the vaccine runs short, a new start date will be announced separately. Whether you should be vaccinated, and when, should be assessed by the doctor at the vaccinating clinic. For the latest information, rely on the Taiwan CDC's 2026 "left flu, right COVID, protect lungs and heart" vaccination page (115 年度左流右新護肺顧心疫苗接種專區), the 1922 disease prevention hotline, and announcements of the Taipei and New Taipei health departments.
2026 publicly funded flu vaccine: who qualifies and when it starts
Recipients must be citizens of the Republic of China or foreign nationals holding a residence permit. The groups and their start times are as follows:
| Stage | Group | Notes |
|---|
| Stage 1 (from October 1) | 1. Medical and public health or disease prevention personnel | New for 2026: public health specialists holding a practice registration |
| Stage 1 | 2. People aged 65 or over | |
| Stage 1 | 3. Indigenous people aged 55 or over | Those aged 55 to 64 should also bring a household registration transcript, household register booklet or proof of Indigenous status |
| Stage 1 | 4. Care recipients of nursing homes, long-term care (service) and similar institutions, and their staff | Includes home nursing cases; the enhanced-type vaccine goes first to care recipients aged 65 or over in institutions and to institution staff |
| Stage 1 | 5. Children aged 6 months or over up to before elementary school entry | |
| Stage 1 | 6. Pregnant women | Holders of the maternal health booklet, or attach a diagnosis certificate |
| Stage 1 | 7. People with underlying conditions | High-risk chronic disease patients (diabetes, chronic liver disease, cardiovascular disease [not including simple hypertension], chronic lung disease, kidney disease, immunocompromised [people with HIV infection]), BMI of 30 or higher, rare diseases, catastrophic illness or injury (重大傷病) |
| Stage 1 | 8. Parents or actual caregivers of infants under 6 months | Expanded in 2026 to actual caregivers such as grandparents; bring a birth certificate, household register booklet or the like |
| Stage 1 | 9. Staff of kindergartens and childcare institutions, and home-based childcare providers (nannies) | In 2026, non-temporary staff such as cooks and administrative staff of infant care centers were included |
| Stage 1 | 10. Students in elementary school, junior high school, senior high school, vocational high school and years 1 to 3 of five-year junior college | The program provides for centralized vaccination at schools; follow your school's notice |
| Stage 1 | 11. Poultry and livestock related personnel and animal disease prevention personnel | Includes front-line zoo staff |
| Stage 2 (from November 2) | 12. Adults aged 50 to 64 without high-risk chronic disease | Calculated as "year of vaccination minus year of birth"; for vaccinations in 2026, people born in 1976 (year 65 of the Republic of China) or earlier |
For "aged 50 or over", the calculation is "year of vaccination" minus "year of birth" being 50 or more, regardless of whether your birthday has passed. People aged 50 to 64 who have high-risk chronic disease such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease belong to group 7 and can be vaccinated in stage 1.
What is different about this year's vaccine?
- Trivalent vaccine, all strains updated: the 2026 program year again uses only trivalent inactivated flu vaccines, containing type A H1N1 and H3N2 strains and the type B Victoria strain; all 3 strains were updated following the World Health Organization's recommendations for the Northern Hemisphere.
- First purchase of an enhanced-type vaccine: total procurement is 7,050,150 doses, of which about 200,000 are immune-enhanced doses, given first to care recipients aged 65 or over in nursing and long-term care institutions and to institution staff. On October 13, the Taiwan CDC also said it would order an additional 200,000 doses and was assessing buying another 100,000.
- "Left flu, right COVID" (左流右新): publicly funded COVID-19 vaccines and flu vaccines start together in two stages, and the Taiwan CDC encourages high-risk groups to receive both vaccines at the same time. The groups eligible for publicly funded COVID-19 vaccine are not exactly the same as for flu (for example, young children are limited to those who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine); follow the Taiwan CDC's announcements.
- Protection: the Taiwan CDC explains that protection becomes sufficient about 2 weeks after vaccination, and flu viruses mutate every year, so you need to be vaccinated every year.
What to bring, and do you pay a registration fee?
- Documents: your NHI card, plus relevant supporting documents such as the child health booklet or the maternal health booklet; Indigenous people aged 55 to 64 should also bring a household registration transcript, household register booklet or proof of Indigenous status. If your NHI card is lost, see how to replace a lost NHI card.
- The vaccine is free; the registration fee depends on where you go: under the vaccination program, adults aged 50 or over, pregnant women, parents of infants, preschool children, people with rare diseases or catastrophic illness or injury, and high-risk chronic disease patients who are vaccinated at contracted clinics and hospitals may be charged a registration fee (掛號費); no extra fee may be added when two or more vaccines are given at the same time or when seeing a doctor at the same time. For care institutions, centralized school vaccination, community or workplace vaccination sites and home vaccination, the health department and the clinics have agreed that no registration fee is paid.
- Aged 65 or over without NHI: you can be vaccinated at public health centers (衛生所) in every township, city and district, with no registration or administration fee.
- Book first: the Taiwan CDC suggests phoning the clinic first to confirm vaccine supply and time slots, to reduce queuing.
Where to get vaccinated in Taipei and New Taipei
Nationwide, you can find contracted clinics and hospitals with the Taiwan CDC's flu, COVID-19 and pneumococcal vaccine and flu antiviral map (VAX MAP), the Taiwan CDC LINE@ account (疾管家), or by calling 1922 (0800-001922). Taipei and New Taipei also have the following:
| Item | Taipei | New Taipei |
|---|
| Where to look up | The Taipei City Government health department's "publicly funded flu and COVID-19 vaccination zone" (公費流感疫苗及新冠疫苗接種專區) → vaccination locations | The New Taipei City Government health department's "New Taipei flu and COVID-19 vaccination eligibility and location lookup" (新北市流感及新冠疫苗接種對象及地點資訊查詢), including the list of contracted clinics and hospitals and community vaccination site sessions |
| Community vaccination sites | Sites in 12 districts; from October 1 they serve people aged 65 or over, and from November 2 people aged 50 or over | Community vaccination sites for flu, COVID-19 and pneumococcal vaccines; see the health department's list for sessions |
| Booking | Follow the announcements of each clinic and vaccination site | New Taipei City Government vaccination booking system: booking for stage 1 was open from September 28 to October 30, 2026; whether it opens afterward follows the health department's announcements |
| City government campaigns | "Left flu, right COVID: health prize draw" (左流右新 健康抽好禮): people with household registration in Taipei who complete a publicly funded flu or COVID-19 vaccination in Taipei from October 1 to November 30, 2026 can enter the draw | "Flu and COVID-19 shots together: New Taipei seniors draw for gold" (流感新冠作伙打 新北長者抽黃金): people aged 65 or over with household registration in New Taipei who are vaccinated in New Taipei from October 1 to December 31, 2026 can enter the draw |
| Other | Taipei citizen hotline 1999 | There is also a "city-purchased flu vaccine" (市自購流感疫苗) starting October 1, 2026; see the health department's page for eligibility; the health department's disease prevention hotline is 02-2258-6923 (Monday to Friday) |
To see the current flu and respiratory epidemic situation, check this site's epidemic risk map.
Get health coins for being vaccinated
From October 1, 2026, people aged 18 or over who receive a flu vaccine earn 450 health coins (健康幣), a COVID-19 vaccine 900 coins and a pneumococcal vaccine 600 coins, whether publicly funded or self-paid; from December 1 the coins can be exchanged for health products. Adult health checkups also earn health coins; see what age you can get an adult health checkup.
Frequently asked questions
I am 50 with no chronic disease. When can I get the publicly funded flu vaccine?
In the 2026 program year, stage 2 opens from November 2 to adults aged 50 to 64 without high-risk chronic disease. If you are vaccinated in 2026, being born in 1976 (year 65 of the Republic of China) or earlier counts as aged 50 or over.
Does the publicly funded flu vaccine cost money?
The vaccine is free. At contracted clinics and hospitals the clinic may charge a registration fee; for schools, community vaccination sites, care institutions and the like, the health department has agreed that no registration fee is paid. People aged 65 or over without NHI who are vaccinated at a public health center pay no registration or administration fee.
Can the flu vaccine be given together with the COVID-19 vaccine?
For the 2026 program year the Taiwan CDC is promoting a "left flu, right COVID" co-vaccination strategy: the two vaccines start together, and high-risk groups are urged to receive both at the same time. Whether it suits an individual should be assessed by the doctor at the vaccinating clinic.
Should my child be vaccinated at school or at a clinic?
Students in elementary school through senior high and vocational high school, and in years 1 to 3 of five-year junior college, are publicly funded recipients, and the vaccination program is carried out through centralized vaccination at schools, so follow your school's notice. Preschool children are vaccinated at contracted clinics and hospitals; remember to bring the child health booklet.
If I do not qualify for the publicly funded vaccine, can I pay for it myself?
Yes. You can ask clinics that offer self-paid flu vaccine. Self-paid flu vaccination for people aged 18 or over also earns health coins.
Last updated: 2026-11-01
This article was compiled by SOSfix editors from public information and is for general reference only. For individual cases, contact the Taiwan CDC of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (1922), the Taipei City Government health department (臺北市政府衛生局; 1999) or the New Taipei City Government health department (新北市政府衛生局).
Sources
- Ministry of Health and Welfare: 2026 influenza vaccination program (115 年度流感疫苗接種計畫; in Chinese; July 2026, checked 2026-11-01): definitions of recipients (nationality and residence permits, age 50 calculated as year of vaccination minus year of birth, the range of high-risk chronic disease, proof for pregnant women and parents of infants, childcare providers, the scope of institutions), the groups added in 2026, the staged start dates and 12 groups, rules on registration and administration fees, and free vaccination at public health centers for people aged 65 or over without NHI.
- Taiwan CDC: stage 1 of the 2026 publicly funded flu and COVID-19 vaccines starts on October 1 (2026年度公費流感及新冠疫苗第一階段將於10月1日開打; in Chinese; published 2026-09-29, checked 2026-11-01): 11 groups in stage 1, ages 50 to 64 from November 2 in stage 2, about 4,000 contracted clinics and hospitals nationwide, VAX MAP, the Taiwan CDC LINE@ account and 1922, bringing the NHI card and booklets, proof for Indigenous people aged 55 to 64, and health coins of 450, 900 and 600.
- Taiwan CDC: enhanced-type flu vaccine and new-generation COVID-19 vaccines introduced with public funding for the first time in autumn and winter 2026 (115年秋冬公費首度導入加強型流感及新世代新冠疫苗; in Chinese; published 2026-08-25, checked 2026-11-01): procurement of 7,050,150 doses, 200,790 enhanced-type doses given first to institution residents who are seniors, trivalent vaccines with all strains updated, public health specialists and infant care center staff added, and "left flu, right COVID".
- Taiwan CDC: "left flu, right COVID, protect lungs and heart": publicly funded flu and COVID-19 vaccines start together on October 1 (「左流右新 護肺顧心」10月1日公費流感及新冠疫苗同步開打; in Chinese; published 2026-10-01, checked 2026-11-01): groups in the two stages, nearly 4,000 contracted clinics and hospitals nationwide, a suggestion to phone for an appointment first, and bringing documents.
- Taiwan CDC: strong uptake of the 2026 publicly funded flu and COVID-19 vaccines (115年度公費流感及新冠疫苗接種踴躍; in Chinese; published 2026-10-13, checked 2026-11-01): an additional order of 200,000 flu vaccine doses and an assessment of buying another 100,000.
- Taiwan CDC: strong uptake of the publicly funded flu and COVID-19 vaccines; eligible people are urged to be vaccinated soon (公費流感及新冠疫苗接種踴躍 請符合資格民眾儘速接種; in Chinese; published 2026-10-06, checked 2026-11-01): sufficient protection takes about 2 weeks after vaccination.
- Taiwan CDC: health coins boost publicly funded and self-paid vaccination (健康幣帶動公、自費疫苗打氣; in Chinese; published 2026-10-27, checked 2026-11-01): stage 2 starts on November 2, health coins apply whether publicly funded or self-paid, and community vaccination sites.
- Taipei City Government health department: publicly funded flu vaccine, vaccination locations (公費流感疫苗－接種地點; in Chinese; updated October 30, 2026, checked 2026-11-01): the vaccine is free and other charges depend on the clinic, sites in 12 districts, and the groups served from October 1 and from November 2.
- Taipei City Government health department: the "Left flu, right COVID: health prize draw" campaign (「左流右新 健康抽好禮」活動; in Chinese; updated October 18, 2026, checked 2026-11-01): household registration in Taipei, and vaccination from October 1 to November 30, 2026 qualifies for the draw.
- New Taipei City Government health department: New Taipei flu and COVID-19 vaccination eligibility and location lookup (新北市流感及新冠疫苗接種對象及地點資訊查詢; in Chinese; checked 2026-11-01): vaccination starting October 1, 2026, the city-purchased flu vaccine, the list of contracted clinics and hospitals and community vaccination sites, eligibility and dates for the gold prize draw, the booking system period, and the disease prevention hotline 02-2258-6923.
