Covid-19: Government won’t confirm negotiations for Moderna coronavirus vaccine
Minister for Covid-19 response Chris Hipkins is unwilling to say whether New Zealand has entered discussions with drug company Moderna over the latest potential coronavirus vaccine, citing “commercial sensitivities”.
Moderna, a United States bio-technology company, on Tuesday announced its vaccine appeared to be 94.5 per cent effective and the company would attempt to bring it to market within weeks.
New Zealand has signed a contract for 1.5 million does of a vaccine made by Pfizer, which a week ago said its vaccine had proven to be 90 per cent effective. The Pfizer vaccine required cool-chain storage to keep it below -80 degrees Celsius; the Moderna vaccine could be last up to 30 days in a refrigerator after thawing.
ROBERT KITCHIN/Stuff
Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins won’t say whether New Zealand is in discussions with drug company Moderna over a Covid-19 vaccine. (file photo)
Hipkins on Tuesday would not say if New Zealand was seeking an agreement to purchase the Moderna vaccine, saying he didn’t want to “reveal anything that might in any way prejudice our position”.
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“I’ve had some advice on who we’ve been talking to, who we haven’t, where we’re at in the process with each of the stronger candidates.
“I’m not in a position to talk publicly about that, because obviously these are highly commercial, sensitive negotiations.”
He said he had been briefed on the status of New Zealand’s efforts to get in line for Covid-19 vaccines. But, in the case of the Moderna vaccine, he was unwilling to share this information.
“I do have a bit of an understanding about where we’re at with them but I’m not to share greater detail … When we have signed a deal with any for any vaccines, we do tend to release that.”
Asked if New Zealanders would gain access to the Pfizer vaccine before a Moderna vaccine, Hipkins said: “You can’t draw those conclusions at this point”.
“We are doing what we can as a country, to make sure that we’re there in front of the queue for, you know, likely vaccine prospects.”
National Party deputy leader Dr Shane Reti, the party’s health spokesman, said the Government should be able to say whether it was in discussions with Moderna.
“We should be having with all manufacturers, and we should be part of their procurement chains and their distribution chains.
STUFF
National Party leader Judith Collins and deputy Shane Reti speak on rising house prices, and a new Covid-19 vaccine.
“We should be expressing that we have a relationship, and we have some hope that we have their procurement package. I think that’s a very reasonable statement to make.”
The Government in May announced it was joining the “global search” for the Covid-19, putting aside $37 million for a vaccine strategy. In September, a $27m contribution to the global COVAX facility was announced.