Pfizer And BioNTech Donate COVID-19 Vaccine To Tokyo Olympians

Pfizer Inc. PFE and BioNTech SE BNTX are donating doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to athletes participating in this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

What Happened: The pharmaceutical companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to facilitate the vaccinations in conjunction with the National Olympic Committees that are sending athletes to the quadrennial events.

According to the companies, the delivery of initial doses to participating delegations is expected to begin at the end of this month. The donation of vaccine doses will not impact the vaccination quantities determined by the supply agreements between the companies and the participating nations.

“This donation of the vaccine is another tool in our toolbox of measures to help make the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 safe and secure for all participants and to show solidarity with our gracious Japanese hosts,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “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.”

Related Link: Airbnb Called Upon By Human Rights Groups To Drop Sponsorship Of 2022 Winter Olympics in China

Why It Matters: Both the IOC and International Paralympics Committee have stated that vaccination is not mandatory for athletes participating in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

However, Japan has yet to see an abatement in the levels of COVID-19 cases. The Japanese government plans to expand the ongoing COVID-19 state of emergency beyond Tokyo and the Osaka area and extend it to the end of May, according to a Kyodo News report. Restrictions were in place since April 25 and were originally scheduled to end on May 11. Tokyo reported 591 new infections Thursday morning.

The Olympics, which were delayed from 2020, are scheduled to begin on July 23 and the Paralympics are slated to start on August 24.

(Photo by Ryan Lejbak / Flickr Creative Commons.)