Controversy Over the 'Vaccine Bottleneck'... Considering 'Using Vaccines Early' and 'Delaying Use'

Medical staff are filling a syringe with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] As the schedule for COVID-19 vaccine supply is increasingly likely to be delayed or uncertain, concerns about a "vaccine bottleneck" are growing. In response, health authorities are considering measures to ease supply constraints by using part of the reserved stock for the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine earlier to proceed with first-dose vaccinations, while also extending the interval between the first and second doses.

Kim Ki-nam, head of the Vaccination Management Division at the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Task Force, stated at a regular briefing on the 30th, "Currently, AstraZeneca vaccines are being used for first-dose vaccinations within the scope that does not disrupt the schedule for the second dose."

Earlier, the government announced a policy to use the reserved stock for the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine for first-dose vaccinations to accelerate the vaccination process amid unstable vaccine supply conditions.

The authorities are also reviewing adjustments to the interval between the first and second doses to facilitate smoother supply. According to the product approval for AstraZeneca, the dosing interval is two doses given 4 to 12 weeks apart. On the 11th, the task force changed the standard dosing interval from 8 weeks to 10 weeks, as longer intervals have been shown to increase the vaccine's effectiveness.

Regarding this, Kim said, "Within the 12-week range, the current dosing interval is appropriate, so depending on future vaccine supply situations, we may additionally review changes to the reservation standard date if necessary."

Some suggest that the interval between the first and second doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine might be extended beyond 12 weeks. Since studies indicate that longer intervals increase effectiveness, adjusting the dosing interval could alleviate concerns about supply volume while also enhancing efficacy.

Research by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford showed that, based on the point 14 days after the second dose, the vaccine's preventive efficacy was 54.9% for intervals under 6 weeks, 59.9% for 6?8 weeks, 63.7% for 9?11 weeks, and 82.4% for 12 weeks or more, demonstrating higher efficacy with longer intervals.

However, a health official explained, "We are not considering vaccination plans that exceed the approved product range."

President Moon Jae-in received the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the Jongno-gu Public Health Center in Seoul on the morning of the 23rd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The government reiterated that there will be no disruptions to the second-quarter vaccination plan, which begins in two days.

Kim stated that although "some vaccine supply schedules have changed due to instability," they believe "there will be no disruptions to the vaccination schedule for each target group in the second-quarter implementation plan." Regarding the government's goal to achieve herd immunity by November, he emphasized, "To overcome the COVID-19 situation, we can no longer delay the herd immunity target," adding, "To achieve the original goal without setbacks, the entire government is making efforts to secure vaccines, and all capabilities are being mobilized to ensure the planned vaccination schedule proceeds as intended."

Meanwhile, the authorities stated that they have not yet considered export restrictions on vaccines to resolve supply instability. Jung Yoo-jin, head of the Vaccine Procurement Team, explained, "Export restriction measures require comprehensive review of the potential impact on South Korea's standing in the international community and the effect on the supply of other vaccines to South Korea after export restrictions. Currently, we are not reviewing export restriction measures."

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