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TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan could start administering its homemade COVID-19 vaccines as early as July, the health minister said on Friday, with the island still awaiting the arrival of imported vaccines to begin its vaccination campaign.
Taiwan has brought the pandemic under control through early and effective prevention, with fewer than 40 active cases, but it has yet to receive any vaccine from overseas.
Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told parliament that human trials have started for two vaccines developed separately by Taiwan-based Medigen Vaccine Biologics and United Biomedical Inc Asia.
“If all goes well, we could start administering locally made vaccines in July,” Chen said without giving further details.
Taiwan has agreed to purchase nearly 20 million doses of the vaccine, including 10 million AstraZeneca and 4.76 million doses from the COVAX global vaccination program.
The island is also receiving five million doses from US drug maker Moderna Inc and the government is working to grant them emergency use authorization.
Security officials had expressed concern over a Chinese offer to Taiwanese in China of priority for COVID-19 vaccines, describing it as a ploy to win favor with the people of the island.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has not given up on the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan has banned imports of vaccines from China and officials have repeatedly referred to the health “risks” associated with Chinese vaccines.
(Reporting by Yimou Lee; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
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