The first shipment of the second-generation Moderna bivalent COVID-19 vaccines will arrive in Taiwan on Friday evening, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
The shipment containing 804,000 doses will arrive in Taiwan at around 10:30 p.m., CECC head Victor Wang (王必勝) said at a press briefing.
This new batch of vaccines, which targets both the original strain of COVID-19 from 2020 and the Omicron subvariant BA.1, expires on March 29, 2023, Wang said.
The updated Moderna vaccine, he stressed, can also provide effective protection against the BA.2 and BA.5 subvariants.
Wang said the vaccines will be distributed to local governments from Sept. 24, and that people aged 65 and older, and immunocompromised adults will be the first to receive the second-generation vaccine as a booster.
Those at high risk of catching COVID-19 — including individuals aged 50-64, adults who need to travel overseas, and airport, port and frontline medical workers — will be next in line for the next-generation vaccine, he added.
According to Wang, another shipment of the updated Moderna vaccines, comprising about 800,000 doses, is due to arrive on Sunday.
The delivery is part of a second deal Taiwan signed in July 2021 with Moderna to procure 35 million doses for 2022-2023, 20 million of which are to be delivered this year, according to the CECC.
Including the 804,000 doses that are set to arrive on Friday evening, Taiwan will have received 10.44 million Moderna vaccines to date, it said.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel