TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan could begin administering its homemade COVID-19 vaccines as early as July, the health minister said Friday, with the island still awaiting the arrival of imported vaccines to begin its vaccination campaign.
Taiwan has kept the pandemic well under control thanks to early and effective prevention, with less than 40 active cases, but it has not yet received any vaccines from abroad.
Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told parliament human trials had been started for two vaccines developed separately by Taiwan-based Medigen Vaccine Biologics and United Biomedical Inc. Asia.
“If all goes well, we can start administering local vaccines in July,” Chen said without elaborating.
Taiwan has agreed to buy nearly 20 million vaccine doses, including 10 million from AstraZeneca and 4.76 million doses from the COVAX Global Vaccination Program.
The island is also receiving five million doses from US drugmaker Moderna Inc. and the government is working to provide emergency clearance.
Security officials have expressed concern over a Chinese offer to Taiwanese in China for the priority of COVID-19 vaccines, describing it as a ploy to win favor with the island’s population.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has not given up the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan has banned the import of vaccines from China, and officials have repeatedly spoken out about health risks associated with Chinese vaccines.
(Edited by Yimou Lee; edited by Simon Cameron-Moore)