National Medical Center Expands COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts...Field Experts Say "Generalization Will Be Difficult" (Comprehensive)

Pfizer Vaccinations Increase from 6 to 7... Concerns Raised Over Uniform Application Despite Dose Variations

On the morning of the 27th, medical staff at the National Medical Center Central Vaccination Center in Euljiro, Jung-gu, Seoul, are receiving the Pfizer vaccine. / Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The National Medical Center has begun verifying the possibility of increasing the number of doses per vial of the Pfizer vaccine to 7. Although the recommended number of doses per vial of the Pfizer vaccine is 6, domestic companies are using 'Low Dead Space (LDS)' syringes developed in Korea to reduce waste and administer one additional dose.

While the National Medical Center has proactively pursued expanding the number of doses, it is expected to be difficult to uniformly apply such guidelines in medical settings. This is because sufficient residual volume may not be obtained depending on the nurse's skill level, and the conditions at vaccination sites can vary.

According to the National Medical Center on the 1st, they are currently verifying the possibility of increasing the number of doses for the Pfizer vaccine. Actual vaccinations with the Pfizer vaccine showed that 0.3 ml, the dose per injection, remains per vial, making it feasible to vaccinate 7 people per vial.

On the 27th of last month, Jung Ki-hyun, director of the National Medical Center, said, "When the frozen Pfizer vaccine is thawed, there is about 0.45 ml remaining, and when mixed with 1.8 ml of saline solution, the total volume becomes 2.2 ml. If the dose per injection is 0.3 ml, it yields 7 doses."

Director Jung added, "Internally, we have set guidelines to vaccinate if there is sufficient residual volume, and there have been cases where 7 people were vaccinated the day before. However, since vaccination situations are irregular and additional doses are given only when there is enough residual volume, it cannot be generalized."

On the morning of the 27th, when Pfizer vaccine administration began for medical staff treating COVID-19 patients, medical personnel are preparing doses of the Pfizer vaccine into syringes at the sterile workstation (clean bench) inside the Central Vaccination Center of the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps

The government has issued guidelines stating that when using low dead space syringes to administer the Pfizer vaccine, additional doses can be given if residual volume remains, but it does not plan to make this mandatory for now. This takes into account that residual volume may vary depending on the skill level of vaccination personnel and that decisions can be made based on the situation at the site.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters explained, "Pfizer vaccine can be administered to 6 people per vial, but sometimes it is impossible to vaccinate all 6, leading to unavoidable waste. In such cases, the residual volume can be used additionally. However, due to differences in syringes or personnel skill levels at the site, the number of doses per vial may vary, making it difficult to change the number of doses per vial."

Some experts have expressed concerns about generalizing such guidelines. Professor Eom Jung-sik of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Gachon University Gil Medical Center said, "If the government mandates this at all vaccination sites in the future under the pretext of minimizing Pfizer vaccine waste, side effects are inevitable. Depending on the busy situation, the last residual volume may not be sufficient, and although the government has prohibited collecting residual volumes, there is a possibility that some medical institutions may attempt this."

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