UK "Goal of 32 Million First Doses by End of April"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The UK has set a goal to expand the number of people who have completed the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to 32 million by the end of April.

According to the BBC on the 15th (local time), the UK plans to administer the first dose of the vaccine to an additional 17 million people over two and a half months.

The vaccination will start with those aged 65 and older and those aged 16 to 64 with health issues, and the plan is to sequentially vaccinate all people aged 50 and above by the end of April. Health issues include not only physical illnesses such as chronic heart disease and diabetes but also mental problems such as severe learning disabilities and bipolar disorder.

So far, the UK has administered the first dose to about 15 million people, including healthcare workers, those aged 70 and above, and care home residents. The plan is to complete the first dose for the remaining 21 million adults by autumn.

From March, the UK will proceed with the second dose simultaneously, and smooth vaccine supply is essential to achieve the goal. So far, only 537,000 people have completed the second dose.

The BBC reported, "Pfizer vaccine supply has decreased due to expansion issues at the Belgium factory, but AstraZeneca vaccine production is going well, and Moderna vaccine is expected to arrive by Easter in April."

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