Who, When, What Is Correct... The Unfading 'Vaccine Controversy'

AstraZeneca Vaccine Rollout Begins in February
Priority Vaccination for Medical Staff and Elderly in Nursing Hospitals
Goal to Vaccinate 10 Million High-Risk Individuals by Mid-Year
Vaccine Approval Process Crucial for Herd Immunity
Vaccinees Cannot Choose Preferred Vaccine

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] As the government secures 56 million doses of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, uncertainty about the supply has disappeared, but controversy arises as detailed plans on who, when, and which vaccine will be administered have not been disclosed. Through negotiations with the U.S. pharmaceutical company Moderna, 20 million doses have been secured, increasing the total vaccine supply to 56 million doses, making herd immunity formation feasible.

However, to achieve the goal of starting vaccinations from February next year and forming herd immunity by at least the third quarter (July to September), as the government has proposed, it is a prerequisite that the approval for the use of the secured vaccines proceeds without issues and that the introduction and vaccination plans mesh seamlessly like gears.

◆Who gets vaccinated first= Professor Ki Moran of the National Cancer Center, a member of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's Vaccination Expert Committee, said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 30th, "Starting with AstraZeneca vaccinations in February, the top priority is to vaccinate 1 million people including healthcare workers and elderly residents in group facilities such as nursing hospitals, followed by completing vaccinations for 10 million high-risk groups such as those aged 65 and older and adults with chronic diseases within the first half of the year." Professor Ki added, "Since the supply will not arrive all at once, vaccinations will be administered sequentially," and "A COVID-19 vaccine subcommittee meeting will be held today to further discuss detailed vaccination plans and vaccine distribution."

The vaccine to be administered first in Korea is the AstraZeneca vaccine. The government completed a contract for 10 million doses last November and agreed to receive some of the vaccine doses produced domestically under contract by SK Bioscience. However, since the 10 million doses will not be introduced all at once but sequentially, the initial supply will be limited to priority groups such as medical personnel and elderly residents in group facilities like nursing hospitals. Subsequently, vaccinations using vaccines introduced through the international project for joint vaccine purchase and distribution, the 'COVAX Facility,' are expected to begin within the first quarter.

◆When to get vaccinated= Currently, Korea has contracts for 36 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The government has previously completed contracts with AstraZeneca (10 million doses), COVAX Facility (10 million doses), Janssen (6 million doses), and Pfizer (10 million doses), and has agreed to additionally receive 20 million doses from Moderna. Once vaccine contracts are finalized, Korea's vaccine supply ratio relative to its population will exceed 100%, alleviating concerns about securing sufficient doses.

However, the timing of vaccinations is expected to be critical. To complete vaccinations sufficient to form herd immunity by the third quarter of next year, procedures such as vaccine approval must proceed smoothly as planned. For vaccinations to begin domestically in February, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety must start the approval review for the UK AstraZeneca vaccine by next month at the latest. Typically, the Ministry conducts product approval reviews within 40 days and national shipment approval within 20 days, so to meet the February vaccination schedule, the process must be expedited. The Phase 3 clinical trial results of the U.S. Janssen vaccine, expected to be introduced in the second quarter (April to June), are also a variable. If the clinical results are unfavorable, the domestic introduction of the secured 6 million doses may be delayed, disrupting the vaccination schedule. The government plans to prepare about 250 ultra-low temperature freezers by March next year to distribute to 100 to 250 vaccination centers for Pfizer vaccine distribution, and a meticulous vaccination plan must be established accordingly.

◆Which vaccine to get= According to the government's plan, at least four types of vaccines will be available for vaccination in the second half of next year. However, vaccine recipients cannot choose the pharmaceutical company's vaccine they want. Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, stated, "We believe that efficacy and safety data may vary slightly by vaccine depending on the target age group or special circumstances," adding, "We will obtain and analyze relevant data through the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and comprehensively assess safety data from countries that have already started vaccinations to determine vaccination priority and the linkage between vaccines and target recipients in a way that benefits the public most."

Experts emphasize the importance of establishing and implementing detailed vaccination plans to dispel public anxiety, given the uncertainty about vaccine supply has been largely resolved. Professor Jeon Byung-yul of CHA University School of Medicine said, "Since uncertainty about supply has been largely resolved through political efforts, now the focus should be on preparing for sequential vaccinations of incoming vaccines by target groups," emphasizing, "Even if millions of doses arrive at once, the number of people who can be vaccinated is limited, so it is important to appropriately allocate the medical system nationwide and prepare step by step."

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