TAIPEI - After over a year of trial and error, Taiwan's first locally developed Covid-19 vaccine will finally be available to the public from Monday (Aug 23).

Some 600,000 doses of Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp's vaccine will be ready for administration, said the island's Central Epidemic Command Centre (CECC).

The manufacturer had received emergency use authorisation from the Food and Drug Administration last month, a development which was questioned by many Taiwanese as Medigen had not launched phase three clinical trials.

The CECC said that based on Medigen's phase two trials, Medigen's vaccine has the potential to be around 90 per cent effective against Covid-19, as the antibody concentration in those who received the Medigen vaccine was over three times higher than a control group of 200 people who had received AstraZeneca vaccine.

"I think the government could have pledged its support for a local vaccine way earlier last year, either with funding or promising to purchase the vaccine in bulk once it comes out," said Dr Chi Chia-yu, an associate investigator at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology.

She thinks the government's actions would have spurred more manufacturers to enter the race to develop a vaccine and perhaps sped up the process.

Leading politicians in Taiwan have now voiced their faith in local vaccines. President Tsai Ing-wen shared photos of herself registering to receive the Medigen vaccine on social media, while Vice-President William Lai said he would wait for the UB-612, produced by United Biomedical, Inc Asia (UBI Asia). But it looks like he may have to wait a while longer to get vaccinated.

On Monday, the FDA said its panel of experts have rejected UB-612 for emergency use authorisation, as it did not meet required standards. UBI Asia said it will be appealing against the FDA's decision.