An initial batch of 150,000 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses arrived in Taiwan on Friday afternoon. Taiwan has ordered over five million doses of the Moderna vaccine in total.
The doses are being kept in cold storage and will undergo safety inspections before being cleared for use. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung says frontline workers who are in contact with COVID-19 patients will be given the priority for receiving these vaccines.
Chen did not comment on Japanese media reports that Tokyo is considering giving Taiwan an additional supply of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. He said that Taiwan is continuing to work towards getting vaccines through a variety of sources.