Following AZ and Pfizer, Moderna Introduced... "Up to 1 Million Vaccinations Possible Per Day"

Moderna First Shipment to Korea on 31st
AZ Vaccination Resumes from 27th
70,000 Additional First Dose Recipients
First Dose Rate 7.5% of Population

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] Following the sequential supply of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will be introduced domestically for the first time on the 31st of this month, accelerating the vaccination process. With daily vaccination reservations nearing 400,000 this month and the potential for smooth vaccine supply in the future, it is expected that daily vaccinations could reach up to 1 million, significantly increasing the vaccination rate.

According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, as of midnight on the 25th, 173,169 people received new vaccinations. The number of new first-dose recipients increased by 71,292, bringing the cumulative total to 3,864,784, while 101,877 people received their second dose, totaling 1,850,669 fully vaccinated individuals. The vaccination rate relative to the population is 7.5% for the first dose and 3.6% for those fully vaccinated.

◆ Moderna's First Domestic Supply on the 31st = First-dose vaccinations, which had been sluggish due to vaccine supply imbalances, will pick up speed again starting this week. Since the 22nd, first-dose Pfizer vaccinations for those aged 75 and older have been in full swing, and from the 27th, first-dose AstraZeneca vaccinations for those aged 65 to 74 will be normalized. Around 10 a.m. on the same day, AstraZeneca vaccines, consigned and produced by SK Bioscience at the Andong plant in Gyeongbuk, were shipped. This batch, directly contracted by the government with AstraZeneca, amounts to 1,068,000 doses (for 534,000 people).

Pfizer vaccines under individual contracts have also been supplied every Wednesday this month: 436,000 doses on the 5th, 438,000 doses on the 12th, and 438,000 doses on the 19th, with more expected in the following weeks.

With vaccine supply easing, vaccination rates are expected to rise significantly. According to the promotion team, the highest number of daily vaccinations to date was 307,000 on the 30th of last month. Although first-dose vaccinations effectively stalled due to supply issues, with the green light on supply, authorities aim to accelerate and achieve up to 1 million vaccinations per day. Lee Ho-seung, Chief of the Blue House Policy Office, stated on the 12th, "There is sufficient vaccine volume scheduled for introduction by November," adding, "It is possible to vaccinate up to 1 million people per day."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Vaccinations at Moderna and Pfizer Consigned Medical Institutions = Experts also foresee the possibility of vaccinating 1 million people per day. In particular, with the improved refrigerated storage temperature of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, which will be fully administered domestically in the future, now at 2?8 degrees Celsius and with extended storage periods, vaccinations will be possible not only at existing vaccination centers but also at consigned medical institutions, which is expected to accelerate the vaccination pace.

Professor Cheon Eun-mi of the Respiratory Medicine Department at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital said, "The Moderna vaccine has been approved for storage at 2?8 degrees Celsius for about 30 days," adding, "Korean Pfizer has also applied to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to extend the refrigerated storage period after thawing from a maximum of 5 days to up to 31 days at 2?8 degrees Celsius. Therefore, once vaccinations begin at consigned medical institutions, it will be possible to vaccinate up to 1 million people per day." Considering that the maximum daily vaccination workforce for last year's influenza vaccine reached 2.09 million (on October 19), this scenario is feasible given Korea's robust medical infrastructure.

Professor Jung Jae-hoon of the Preventive Medicine Department at Gachon University Gil Medical Center stated, "The most important factor is vaccine supply," and predicted, "If there is enough vaccine volume, it is possible to vaccinate 1 million people per day within the domestic medical system." The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is currently reviewing a change in approval to extend the refrigerated storage period of Pfizer vaccines after thawing to a maximum of 31 days at 2?8 degrees Celsius. A ministry official said, "Provided there are no issues with the data, approval changes could be made within this month."

However, Professor Cheon added, "Adequate medication and medical staff must be provided to prepare for possible anaphylactic shock and other adverse reactions at vaccination sites," and suggested, "It would be advisable to start vaccinations at tertiary hospitals to verify safety and then gradually expand to general hospitals and clinics."

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