Japan says to ship 1.1 million more AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan

July 06, 2021, 11.20 AM | Source: Reuters

ILUSTRASI. Nurses prepare doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Taipei, Taiwan. REUTERS/Ann Wang

COVID-19 - TOKYO. Japan will ship about 1.1 million more doses of AstraZeneca Plc's COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Tuesday, after previously delivering 1.24 million doses last month.

Motegi told a news conference that the vaccines would be shipped on Thursday. In addition, Japan plans to ship 1 million doses each to Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam this week, following earlier donations to Indonesia and Malaysia.

By the middle of July, Japan will start shipments of 11 million doses through the COVAX facility, which provides vaccines for needy countries, for nations in south Asia and the Pacific islands, Motegi said.

Japan has pledged $1 billion and 30 million doses to COVAX and said last moth its direct shipments to Asian neighbours are being made to speed up delivery.