Pfizer, BioNTech to donate vaccines for Tokyo Olympics athletes
The delivery of Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is expected to be started this month, so that all the countries can vaccinate their athletes with both the doses before the commencement of the Olympics on 23rd July 2021.
Leading Covid-19 vaccine developers in the world, Pfizer and BioNTech will donate vaccines to get the Tokyo Olympics-bound athletes jabbed, according to a statement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
This development comes after the talks between the officials of the firms and the Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
"We are inviting the athletes and participating delegations of the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games to lead by example and accept the vaccine where and when possible," IOC President Thomas Bach said in a statement.
The delivery of Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is expected to be started this month, so that all the countries can vaccinate their athletes with both the doses before the commencement of the Olympics on 23rd July 2021.
This is the second such vaccination deal closed by the IOC. Earlier in March 2021, IOC had tied up with China to distribute the Chinese vaccines for athletes supposed to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Games and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
IOC's deal with China also includes a cause where for every one dose taken by an athlete the Chinese would provide two doses of vaccine the general public.
The deal with Pfizer and BioNTech is a major breakthrough for the IOC as not many countries have approved the use of Chinese vaccines, while the hosts Japan had straightforwardly denied to take help from China.