BioNTech on Wednesday said that it plans to provide its COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan after Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) announced that in December last year the German company at the last minute halted a deal for the nation to to buy 5 million doses.
Earlier on Wednesday, Chen said that officials were on the verge of announcing the deal when BioNTech pulled the plug, although he added that it was still pending and had not been torn up.
While he did not say that China was to blame, Chen implied there was a political dimension to the decision.
Photo: CNA
“BioNTech is committed to help bring an end to the pandemic for people across the world and we intend to supply Taiwan with our vaccine as part of this global commitment,” BioNTech told reporters in an e-mailed statement. “Discussions are ongoing and BioNTech will provide an update.”
Chen yesterday welcomed the comment, saying that Taiwan has long maintained commercial interactions with its trusted trade partner Germany.
Berlin at the beginning of the pandemic showed its dedication to health equity by offering supplies to the UK and other countries, a sentiment that was expressed in BioNTech’s statement, said Chen, who also heads the Central Epidemic Command Center.
Chen expressed his thanks and appreciation for the firm on behalf of the center, along with his belief that they would overcome difficulties and sign a contract to help end the pandemic together.
Asked if the firm’s change of heart had anything to do with a “chips for vaccines” deal, Chen said that the issues are separate.
The Taiwan Institute of Economic Research and other groups have suggested that Taiwan obtain vaccines in return for automotive chips, which are in short supply on the global market.
BioNTech extended a hand of its own initiative, Chen said, adding that the government would maintain communications with the firm.
However, Taipei would not have any direct contact with Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group (上海復星醫藥集團), the company that BioNTech has partnered with to develop and commercialize its vaccine using mRNA technology in Taiwan and China, including Hong Kong and Macau, he said.
US-based firm Pfizer handles development and distribution for the rest of the world.
Asked how there is still a chance to sign a contract if the deal involves Shanghai Fosun, Chen said that Taiwan has already signed the deal with BioNTech and all that remains is for Berlin to give its approval.
Meanwhile, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that Taiwan would have enough vaccine doses through domestic and global channels.
Tsai made the remarks yesterday at a reception for National Biotechnology and Medical Care Quality Award winners at the Presidential Office in Taipei.
She congratulated the recipients of the “Oscars of biotechnology,” which added a new category this year to honor pandemic first responders.
After commending the recipients for their accomplishments, Tsai shared her optimism about vaccine acquisition.
“Vaccines for which the government has already signed contracts are expected to be available in the second quarter,” Tsai said. “At that time, priority will be granted to those most in need, including frontline healthcare workers.”
Aside from purchased vaccines, she was also upbeat about domestically developed options, as two companies’ vaccines have already entered the second stage of clinical trials.
According to reports, the first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines acquired through the global COVAX distribution scheme is to arrive as soon as next week for distribution starting next month.
Chen did not deny the reports, saying that he was looking forward to the arrival of the doses, but reiterated that the schedule is confidential.
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
DISCONTENT: The CCP finds positive content about the lives of the Chinese living in Taiwan threatening, as such video could upset people in China, an expert said Chinese spouses of Taiwanese who make videos about their lives in Taiwan have been facing online threats from people in China, a source said yesterday. Some young Chinese spouses of Taiwanese make videos about their lives in Taiwan, often speaking favorably about their living conditions in the nation compared with those in China, the source said. However, the videos have caught the attention of Chinese officials, causing the spouses to come under attack by Beijing’s cyberarmy, they said. “People have been messing with the YouTube channels of these Chinese spouses and have been harassing their family members back in China,”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said there are four weather systems in the western Pacific, with one likely to strengthen into a tropical storm and pose a threat to Taiwan. The nascent tropical storm would be named Usagi and would be the fourth storm in the western Pacific at the moment, along with Typhoon Yinxing and tropical storms Toraji and Manyi, the CWA said. It would be the first time that four tropical cyclones exist simultaneously in November, it added. Records from the meteorology agency showed that three tropical cyclones existed concurrently in January in 1968, 1991 and 1992.
RSS