A shipment of 1.13 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is due to arrive in Taiwan early today, while the next round of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines to be administered under a national program has been expanded to include people aged 45 or older.
Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥), the Central Epidemic Command Center’s (CECC) deputy head, said that the Moderna vaccines purchased directly from the manufacturer were slated to arrive at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport from Atlanta, Georgia, between last night and early this morning.
The doses would be reserved primarily as second shots for people who received their first jab of the Moderna vaccine on or before July 16, the CECC said.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
Taiwan also took delivery of a seventh shipment of 889,200 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine early yesterday morning, Chen told the CECC’s daily news briefing.
The BioNTech shipment arrived at the airport from Germany as part of a combined 15 million doses ordered separately by the Hon Hai Precision Co-affilaited Yonglin Foundation, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation to be donated to the government for public distribution.
With yesterday’s shipment, Taiwan has now received about 5.09 million of the 15 million doses, the CECC said.
Eligibility for the upcoming round of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines will be lowered to include people aged 45 and older, from the previously intended target of 47 and older announced by the CECC on Monday, Chen said.
People wishing to receive their first shot of this brand can make online appointments next week from 10am on Monday to midday on Wednesday, he said.
Also included in this round is the AstraZeneca vaccine, targeting second shots for people aged 18 or older who had a first AstraZeneca jab on or before July 22, he said.
Second AstraZeneca jabs will also be available to those aged 54 or older who had their first AstraZeneca dose on or before July 30, Chen added.
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