"Vaccine Supply Schedule Uncertain"… Moderna and Pfizer Vaccines to Be Administered to Those in Their 50s (Update)

Vaccination Schedule Extended by 3 Days from the 25th to the 28th of Next Month

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Starting from the end of this month, COVID-19 vaccinations for people in their 50s will begin, and in addition to the originally planned Moderna vaccine, the Pfizer vaccine will also be used for vaccinations. Furthermore, the vaccination deadline for those aged 50 to 54 will be extended by three days, from the 25th to the 28th of next month.

On the 19th, Jeong Eun-kyung, Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), stated at the regular COVID-19 briefing, "In order to carry out stable vaccinations amid the fluctuating vaccine supply schedule, we plan to administer Pfizer vaccines in addition to Moderna vaccines for the 50s age group," adding, "The total amount of Moderna vaccines to be introduced in July and August remains unchanged from the original plan, but the weekly supply schedule has been altered. To respond flexibly to the vaccine supply situation, we decided to also utilize the Pfizer vaccine, which is the same mRNA vaccine."

The authorities explained that the Moderna vaccine batch originally scheduled for supply in the third week of July will arrive in the last week of July due to quality inspection and delivery issues. Therefore, Pfizer vaccines will be included in the vaccinations starting July 26 for those aged 55 to 59 and workers aged 50 and above. The originally planned quantity will be used continuously for vaccinations in August once it arrives in the last week of July.

To ensure stable vaccinations, the vaccination deadline will be extended from the existing August 25 to August 28. Director Jeong explained, "Those who have completed pre-registration will be individually notified via text message about the vaccine type before their vaccination date." This extension decision also considered that some vaccination centers may be closed due to the substitute holiday on the 16th of next month, which could disrupt the scheduled vaccinations.

Regarding concerns that the allocation of Pfizer vaccines to the 50s age group might reduce the vaccines available for those under 40, she clarified, "The third-quarter and monthly supply schedules for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been somewhat finalized," adding, "There may be slight adjustments depending on the timing of supply, but there is no change in the total quantity."

Meanwhile, as pre-registration for those aged 53 to 54 begins at 8 p.m. today, there are considerable concerns about potential 'connection failures,' similar to those experienced during the pre-registration for the 55 to 59 age group. Director Jeong said, "We have comprehensively reviewed the load and error situations that occurred on the pre-registration website so far and are continuously making improvements," adding, "To ensure smooth access, from 2 p.m. today, some functions of the pre-registration website have been switched to a cloud-based system, and just before the large-scale pre-registration begins, the operating server will be restarted to provide a stabilized environment for reservations."

She also urged, "However, since there is a possibility of connection delays due to a surge in users immediately after the opening, please try to make reservations with some flexibility and spread out the time slots."

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