Taiwan receives 4th shipment of second-gen COVID-19 vaccine
ROC Central News Agency
09/29/2022 05:51 PM
Taipei, Sept. 29 (CNA) A total of 605,000 doses of the second-generation Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine targeting the original virus from 2020 and the Omicron BA. 1 subvariant arrived in Taiwan early Thursday, the fourth shipment of the vaccine, Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) head Victor Wang (王必勝) announced the same day.
At the CECC routine daily press briefing, Wang said that other than being part of the vaccine rollout initiated on Sept. 24, the shipment will also be part of a new rollout plan scheduled for Oct. 3, when it will be available to more people.
The first rollout made the second-gen vaccine available only as booster shots for people aged 65 and over, residents of long-term care facilities, and adults 18 and above who are immunocompromised or have a weak immune system.
Starting Oct. 3, the booster vaccine will also be available to frontline medical workers, airport personnel and flight crews, home quarantine-related professionals, individuals aged 50-64, as well as those 18 and above who need to travel abroad for work or diplomatic reasons.
According to Wang, the expiry date of the fourth batch is March 30 next year.
Currently, Taiwan has received a total of 12.635 million doses of vaccines made by Moderna Inc, as part of a contract signed between the nation and the company on July 22, 2021.
Wang said Taiwan should receive a total of 20 million doses this year, adding that the contract stipulates the company will provide 35 million doses of vaccine over two years.
(By Chen Chieh-ling, Shen Pei-yao and James Lo)
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