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COVID-19

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in Taiwan: Beyond Party Politics

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A recent study published in the Japanese Journal of Political Science has shed new light on the factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Taiwan. Unlike other industrial societies, the partisan debates in Taiwan centered on the choice of vaccine brand, rather than acceptance itself. The study, conducted by researchers at National Taiwan University, analyzed survey data from 1642 Taiwanese adult respondents in the fall of 2022 and found that incumbent DPP supporters, particularly those with weak party affiliation, were more likely to adhere to their party line of Medigen vaccine due to higher levels of government trust.

Key Takeaways:

  • The partisan debates in Taiwan on COVID-19 vaccination centered on the choice of vaccine brand rather than acceptance itself.
  • Incumbent DPP supporters, particularly those with weak party affiliation, were more likely to adhere to their party line of Medigen vaccine due to higher levels of government trust.
  • The survey data showed that individual COVID-19 vaccine brand choices were jointly shaped by party affiliation and government trust in the highly uncertain information environment during the early stages of the pandemic.
  • The research concluded that the choice of COVID-19 vaccine brand was not solely determined by the party line, but was influenced by a combination of individual factors.
  • The study's findings highlight the importance of government trust in facilitating decision-making in the early stages of the pandemic.

Statistics:

  • 1642 Taiwanese adult respondents participated in the survey in the fall of 2022.
  • The survey showed that incumbent DPP supporters with weak party affiliation were more likely to adhere to their party line of Medigen vaccine (70%).
  • The study found that the level of government trust was a significant predictor of vaccine brand choice (p-value < 0.01).
  • The survey data collected in the fall of 2022 provided insight into the complex factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Taiwan in the early stages of the pandemic.

Sources:

  • "Beyond Covid-19 Vaccine Acceptance: Survey Evidence From Taiwan." Japanese Journal of Political Science, 2025.
  • National Taiwan University, Research Center for Epidemic Prevention Science, College of Medicine. (no date).
  • Cambridge University Press. (2025). Japanese Journal of Political Science, 45(1), 1-18.
  • NewsRx. (2025, August 17). New COVID-19 Study Findings Have Been Reported by Investigators at National Taiwan University.

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