Pfizer and BioNTech to donate vaccines for Tokyo Olympic athletes

Delivery of COVID jabs set to begin in May to give Olympic delegations time to be fully vaccinated with two shots before July 23.

Vaccine developers Pfizer and BioNTech will donate doses of COVID vaccines to inoculate athletes and officials preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday. Delivery of doses is set to begin this month to give Olympic delegations time to be fully vaccinated with a second shot before arriving in Tokyo for the games, which open on July 23. It is the second significant vaccination deal for the IOC. An agreement was announced in March between the IOC and Olympic officials in China to buy and distribute Chinese vaccines before the Tokyo Games and next year’s Beijing Winter Games.