COVAX AstraZeneca Vaccine 210,000 Doses Arrive in Korea on the 3rd

The Seoul National University Hospital's in-house COVID-19 vaccination took place on the morning of the 4th at Seoul National University Hospital in Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Medical staff who received the AstraZeneca vaccine are being guided by an employee. 2021.03.04

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] A total of 216,000 doses (432,000 shots) of the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine supplied by the international vaccine joint procurement project 'COVAX Facility' will arrive in South Korea by air at around 2:55 PM on the 3rd.

Originally, this vaccine was scheduled to arrive at the end of last month, but due to supply instability and other factors, the arrival was postponed to the third week of this month, three weeks later, before being moved forward again.

At a regular briefing on the 1st, the COVID-19 Vaccination Promotion Team explained, "COVAX initially notified that the vaccine would arrive around mid-April, but administrative procedures related to contracts and procurement were completed quickly, resulting in an earlier arrival than originally planned."

However, the quantity was reduced by 129,000 doses compared to the initially planned 345,000 doses (690,000 shots). The Pfizer vaccine supplied by COVAX, totaling 148,500 doses (297,000 shots), is expected to arrive in South Korea at the end of June.

The Promotion Team stated, "The COVAX Pfizer vaccine is scheduled to supply 297,000 shots at the end of June," adding, "The quantity arriving at the end of June is the remaining amount after excluding the 117,000 shots that arrived on February 26 from the originally allocated 414,000 Pfizer shots."

The Promotion Team also announced that the delivery schedules for vaccines directly supplied by Pfizer and AZ to the Korean government in the second quarter have been finalized.

The Pfizer direct contract volume for the second quarter totals 3 million doses (6 million shots), with monthly supplies of 500,000 doses (1 million shots) in April, 875,000 doses (1.75 million shots) in May, and 1,625,000 doses (3.25 million shots) in June.

The AZ direct contract volume for the second quarter is 3.5 million doses (7 million shots), with 1 million doses (2 million shots) arriving in May and 2.5 million doses (5 million shots) arriving in June.

So far, the total number of vaccine doses that have arrived in South Korea or have confirmed delivery schedules is 8,061,000 doses. Adding the 705,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that COVAX plans to send in April and May, though the schedule is not yet finalized, the total reaches 8,766,000 doses.

The government plans to complete at least the first dose of vaccination for 12 million people in the first half of the year.

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