Despite Side Effect Controversies... AstraZeneca Is One of the Three Major Vaccines in Key Countries

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] One out of three COVID-19 vaccines secured by 12 major countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and India was found to be AstraZeneca.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to Shin Hyun-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 27th, the total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses secured by the 12 major countries is approximately 5.06 billion doses.

By manufacturer, AstraZeneca accounts for the largest share with 1.85 billion doses (36.6%). This is followed by Novavax with 1.29 billion doses (25.4%), Pfizer with 620 million doses (12.2%), Sanofi-GSK with 530 million doses (10.5%), Janssen with 390 million doses (7.7%), and Moderna with 380 million doses (7.6%).

Even in the United States, which first approved Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the proportion of these two vaccines among the total supply was about 20%. The European Union (EU) accounted for 34%, and the United Kingdom only 15%.

The reason for the low proportion of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines appears to be that although mRNA vaccines were approved first, there are limitations in actual production volume. According to foreign media, countries like the United States and the United Kingdom plan to conduct vaccinations for the general public mainly through AstraZeneca and Novavax, and AstraZeneca is the most secured vaccine in terms of quantity.

Representative Shin said, "There is some regret that it would have been better to secure Pfizer or Moderna vaccines a little earlier, but the government's decision to secure a large amount of vector vaccines with high safety, such as AstraZeneca, can be seen as having reasonable grounds." He added, "Looking at the vaccine procurement status of major countries worldwide, it can be seen that not only Korea but also other countries are making similar judgments and preparations."

He continued, "Going forward, securing vaccine quantities and signing contracts are important, but much more critical issues remain, such as establishing cold chain systems, preparing vaccination institutions, deciding priority vaccination order, and setting up medical response and compensation systems in case of adverse events." He emphasized, "When vaccines actually arrive in Korea, the government and both ruling and opposition parties must work together to create conditions so that vaccinations can be carried out quickly, efficiently, and safely."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.