Tsai Ing-wen gets jab of Medigen shot, Taiwan’s first domestic COVID-19 vaccine

President Tsai Ing-wen got vaccinated with Taiwan’s first domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine on Aug. 23, giving it her stamp of approval as the island begins rolling out the shot, even as critics say its approval has been rushed. The health ministry approved the emergency use of Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp.’s COVID-19 vaccine in July, part of a broader plan for inoculation self-sufficiency as delays in vaccine deliveries from global drug companies have affected Taiwan and many other countries. Tsai, who had held off using vaccines from Moderna or AstraZeneca, the mainstays of Taiwan’s vaccination program, received her Medigen shot at a hospital in central Taipei, demonstrating her confidence in the safety of the vaccine. Around 40% of Taiwan’s 23.5 million people have received at least one shot of either of the two-dose AstraZeneca or Moderna vaccines. The island’s vaccination policy is to prioritize first shots, with only the most high-risk groups — such as medical workers — initially getting the full two doses. (Reuters, AP) This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.