Pfizer Vaccine Also Administered at Infectious Disease Hospitals... Available for Elderly Patients

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The government plans to deliver Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines, which will be introduced in February and March, not only to vaccination centers but also to infectious disease specialized hospitals for administration.

Jung Kyung-sil, Head of the Vaccination Management Division at the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, stated at an online regular briefing on the 18th, "Of the 58,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine for February to March, they will be distributed to medical staff at infectious disease specialized hospitals, with vaccinations conducted at five vaccination centers and, as another axis, directly delivered to infectious disease specialized hospitals to utilize each hospital's medical staff for vaccination."

Regarding delivery vaccination, Jung explained, "We are reviewing both frozen and refrigerated delivery methods to maintain the cold chain and determine the safest way to deliver the vaccines."

Previously, the government announced that mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna would only be administered at vaccination centers, not general medical institutions. mRNA vaccines require ultra-low temperature distribution and storage and must be thawed before use, making handling complicated. Pfizer vaccines must be stored at around minus 75 degrees Celsius and require thawing and dilution before use.

The government is also considering delivering Pfizer vaccines to workers and residents aged 65 and older in nursing hospitals and facilities. Jung said, "If AstraZeneca vaccines cannot be used for elderly people in nursing hospitals (and nursing facilities), we are also open to and reviewing the possibility of visiting vaccinations using other vaccines such as Janssen or Moderna, which will arrive in the second quarter, in addition to Pfizer vaccines."

She added, "If Pfizer vaccines are delivered, the vaccination method for medical staff at infectious disease specialized hospitals, who will start vaccination in late February or March, will serve as a reference. Some of them will be vaccinated at vaccination centers, and others will be vaccinated at infectious disease specialized hospitals where the authorities deliver the vaccines."

Among the first-quarter vaccination targets, including nursing hospitals, nursing facilities, high-risk medical institution healthcare workers, and first responders, those under 65 years old will receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. Since AstraZeneca vaccines can be distributed refrigerated, vaccinations will be conducted at each institution. Nursing hospitals will have their own medical staff administer the vaccines, while nursing facilities will have medical staff from entrusted medical institutions perform the vaccinations. COVID-19 response personnel will be vaccinated at public health centers, so vaccination personnel at the health centers will be responsible for administering the vaccines.

The government plans to establish 17 additional regional vaccination centers next month and subsequently open 232 centers sequentially at city, county, and district levels. The required personnel are estimated to be about 6,000 in total.

Jung said, "We do not intend to mandatorily assign personnel for vaccination all at once. Currently, we expect local medical and nursing associations in each local government to voluntarily participate in the vaccination efforts."

However, some concerns have been raised about potential personnel shortages causing disruptions when vaccinations are fully underway. In response, Jung said, "It is true that a large number of medical staff will be needed on-site as vaccine supply becomes full-scale and vaccinations are conducted en masse. Therefore, the authorities and local governments are continuously discussing how to secure and manage medical personnel by forming consultative bodies with health and medical organizations."

She added, "We are also exploring measures such as rotating shifts at vaccination centers to prevent medical service gaps on-site."

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