KDCA to Establish 5 Vaccination Centers Including National Medical Center This Month

17 Regional Vaccination Centers to Be Established by March Compared to Pfizer Vaccine

On the afternoon of the 9th, medical staff are observing participants who have completed vaccination during a mock vaccine inoculation drill held at the Comprehensive Cancer Vaccination Center of the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 18th that it plans to gradually expand the COVID-19 vaccination centers in stages: central (1 center) - regional (3 centers) - local (about 250 centers), considering the timing and quantity of vaccine supply.

First, in February, a total of five vaccination centers will be established, including the National Medical Center, three regional vaccination centers, and Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital, to administer the initial supply of Pfizer vaccines (for 58,500 people) and to develop a standard model for local vaccination centers. These will be prioritized based on regional accessibility and the number of vaccinations.

Additionally, to prepare for the Pfizer vaccines arriving after March, 17 local vaccination centers (one per city/province, two in Gyeonggi) will be established within March, and the remaining approximately 232 local vaccination centers across cities, counties, and districts nationwide will be installed and operated in stages, considering the timing and quantity of vaccine supply.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the KDCA will jointly inspect 18 local vaccination centers to be established by March, starting from today until the 24th, in cooperation with related ministries such as the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the National Fire Agency, as well as city and provincial governments, to ensure smooth securing of vaccination centers. In January, the KDCA set standards for vaccination center locations, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety surveyed candidate sites that meet these standards from each city, county, and district, securing 250 locations.

The government-local government joint inspection team will check facilities such as indoor gymnasiums where 18 local vaccination centers will be established, inspecting power supply, fire safety equipment, ventilation facilities, etc., and will share and seek solutions to difficulties and suggestions from local governments on site.

Jung Eun-kyung, Commissioner of the KDCA, stated, “We plan to prepare the COVID-19 vaccination centers without any setbacks according to the vaccine introduction schedule,” adding, “Through safe and rapid large-scale vaccinations at the vaccination centers, we will contribute to securing herd immunity for the entire population in a short time.”

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