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(Reuters) – U.S. drug maker Moderna Inc will supply its COVID-19 vaccine to the governments of Taiwan and Colombia, the company said, providing five million and 10 million doses respectively.
Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine is not yet approved for use in Taiwan or Colombia, and the company’s statement says it will work with regulators to obtain necessary approvals before distribution.
Deliveries are expected to begin in mid-2021, the company added.
At the end of December, Taiwan said it had agreed to purchase nearly 20 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, including 10 million from UK drug maker AstraZeneca, the rest from the global COVAX vaccination program and a company anonymous.
Taiwan has yet to announce the Moderna deal and has kept details of its vaccination plans largely under wraps, citing commercial confidentiality.
Taiwanese Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told reporters the vaccines, to be given as two injections 28 days apart, are expected to start arriving around May or June, with an agreement signed for 5.05 million. of doses.
“We will do our best to push them to deliver them as quickly as possible,” Chen said Wednesday.
This week, the Taiwanese government said it will also receive 200,000 doses of COVAX’s AstraZeneca vaccine, with injections starting next month.
The government has taken steps to assure its people that it is working hard to ensure access to vaccines and is also developing vaccines nationally, but at a slower pace.
However, officials also indicated that with the pandemic under control in Taiwan, there is not the urgent need for vaccines that some other countries face. Currently, only 73 active cases are being treated in hospital.
Last week, Germany avoided a call from Taiwan for its help in providing COVID-19 vaccines. Berlin had previously called on the Asian tech powerhouse to ease the semiconductor shortage in the auto industry, which could anger China.
In all cases, vaccine stocks are tight globally.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Lincoln Feast and David Goodman)
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