Government: "Supplying 700,000 Doses of Pfizer Vaccine Through Exchange with Israel... Vaccinations to Start in July" (Update)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] Our government has decided to secure an early supply of 700,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine through a vaccine swap agreement with the Israeli government.

The Pan-Government Vaccine Procurement Task Force (led by Minister Kwon Deok-cheol of the Ministry of Health and Welfare) announced on the 6th that it signed a vaccine swap agreement with the Israeli government to receive 700,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine in July and return the same amount sequentially from September to November.

Recently, the Israeli government anticipated that some Pfizer vaccines (with an expiration date of July 31) used for July vaccinations would remain unused and was seeking a partner to effectively utilize these vaccines through a swap.

Our government initially began negotiations for 800,000 doses, but after Israel announced the expiration date, the number of vaccination applicants increased, and the doses were used for vaccinations of those aged 12 to 17, finalizing the swap volume at 700,000 doses.

South Korea plans to import about 80 million doses in the third quarter, including approximately 10 million doses in July through individual contracts, securing sufficient quantities; however, this vaccine swap will help accelerate the vaccination pace.

The 700,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine to be supplied early through the swap with Israel are scheduled to arrive at Incheon Airport at 7:15 a.m. on the 7th.

Kwon Deok-cheol, head of the Pan-Government Vaccine Procurement Task Force, said, "This Korea-Israel vaccine swap is a win-win strategy: for Korea, it means receiving vaccines earlier than planned to speed up vaccinations during the summer holiday season, and for Israel, it allows more effective utilization of vaccines."

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