Taiwan on Monday launched a drive on requiring essential workers in 24 government-regulated industries to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by Dec. 17.

The regulated industries are under the ministries of education, economics, labor and health, and welfare.

Chen Shih-chung, Health Minister and Chief of Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Control Command (CECC), said these essential workers will need to provide employers with proof of full vaccination or negative test results as from Jan. 1, 2022.

The minister said that persons confirmed as having had COVID-19 and with the proper medical paperwork, as well as people with a doctor’s note exempting them from vaccination, will not need the jabs.

He said the requirement did not constitute compulsory vaccinations but a request that is in the interest of society and individuals.

Shih-Chung added that, under the current law, fines cannot be imposed for not being vaccinated.

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According to CECC data, 78 per cent of Taiwan residents have received one jab and nearly 61 per cent were fully vaccinated.

Shih-Chung reported that Taiwan had zero new domestic cases and 10 new imported cases, but no fatalities to report, boosting the total number of cases to 16,652, with 848 deaths in a population of 23.5 million.