Another shipment of 1.13 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is due to arrive in Taiwan by early Saturday, while the next round of administering Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT) vaccines will be expanded to include people aged 45 and over.
Speaking at a daily Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) press briefing Friday, Deputy Interior Minister Chen Tsung-yen (???) said the Moderna vaccines purchased directly from the manufacturer will arrive in Taiwan from Atlanta.
Chen, who doubles as deputy head of the CECC, said Taiwan is scheduled to take delivery of this latest shipment between late Friday evening and early Saturday morning.
After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport, the 1.13 million doses of Moderna will be transported to a cold storage warehouse, where they will be inspected before being released to local governments for administration to the public, he said.
According to the CECC, the incoming doses will be reserved primarily as second shots for people who received their first jab of the Moderna vaccine on or before July 16.
This latest batch of Moderna vaccines has an expiry date of March 2, 2022, Chen said.
Meanwhile, the CECC deputy chief said Taiwan also took delivery of a seventh shipment of the Pfizer-BNT COVID-19 vaccine totaling 889,200 doses early Friday morning.
The shipment arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport from Germany on a China Airlines cargo plane at 5:50 a.m., according to the CECC.
It is part of the 15 million doses of the Pfizer-BNT vaccine ordered by Hon Hai Precision Co./YongLin Charity, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., and the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation and being donated to the government for distribution.
With Friday’s shipment, Taiwan has now received a total of roughly 5.09 million of the 15 million doses ordered, the CECC said.
At the press briefing, Chen said eligibility for the upcoming round of Pfizer-BNT vaccine rollout will be lowered to include people aged 45 and over, from the previously intended target of 47 and over as had been announced by the CECC on Monday.
People wishing to receive their first shot of this vaccine brand can make online appointments for a jab from 10 a.m. on Oct. 11 to 12 p.m. on Oct. 13, he said.
Also included in this new round of vaccine administration will be the AstraZeneca vaccine, targeting individuals aged 18 and over who already got their first AstraZeneca jab on or before July 22 for their second shots, Chen said.
The second jab of this vaccine brand will also be available to those aged 54 and over who already had their first AstraZeneca dose on or before July 30, he said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel