Taiwan set to receive its first batch of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines

Taiwan is due to receive its first shipment of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines against Covid-19 when a flight reaches Taiwan on Thursday.
Central Epidemic Control Command (CECC) chief and Health Minister Chen Shih-chung confirmed Wednesday the jet had left Luxembourg Airport carrying some 900,000 doses.
The flight is expected to reach Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport early on Thursday after a stopover in Baku.
In May, Chen said the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (TCDC) and BioNTech, which named Shanghai Fosung as its sales agent for "greater China," had been finalizing the purchase of 5 million doses in early January when the German firm halted the proceedings.
President Tsai Ing-wen charged May 26 that "interference" by China blocked the contract.
In July, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TMSC) and two charitable foundations bought 15 million doses from the regional agent for Taiwan, on the condition that the vaccines be shipped directly from the manufacturer.
Chen is expected to greet the flight in person, together with TSMC Charitable Foundation chairperson Chang Shu-fen.
With six new cases and one fatality confirmed Wednesday, Taiwan has recorded 16,001 Covid-19 cases and 836 deaths.
As of August 30, 10.03 million people, or 42.7 per cent of Taiwan's 23.5 million population, had received at least one dose. Just over 900,000 are fully vaccinated, according to TCDC data.
Nearly 60 per cent received AstraZeneca jabs, followed by 34 per cent who had Moderna shots, while 6 per cent opted for Taiwan's Medigen vaccine.
Most of the Pfizer/BioNTech shots are reserved for children between the ages of 12 and 17, who returned to school on September 1.