TOKYO: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation hopes to help Japanese companies build supply systems for vaccines against the novel coronavirus in developing countries, Mihoko Kashiwakura, head in Japan for the US charity group, has said.

Smooth COVID-19 vaccine supplies to developing countries are essential for containing the coronavirus pandemic, Kashiwakura said in a recent interview with Jiji Press.

Expectations for coronavirus vaccines are growing following Britain’s approval on Wednesday of a vaccine developed jointly by US drugmaker Pfizer Inc. and German biopharmaceutical company BioNTech.

While noting that speedily developing COVID-19 vaccines has been an issue, Kashiwakura said that “how to deliver vaccines on a large scale” to developing countries will be vital from now. “We are encouraging the governments of developing countries to work early” on drawing up plans to secure coronavirus vaccines, she said.

Freezers are indispensable for the supplies of COVID-19 vaccines, which need to be stored at ultralow temperatures.

“There are some Japanese companies that we hope will play a role” in preparing low-temperature distribution systems for coronavirus vaccines in developing countries, Kashiwakura said, adding, “We want to support these companies as much as possible.”

JIJI Press