Government: "90 Million Vaccine Doses Contracted This Year... Surplus Will Be Donated"

Formation of TF by Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and KDCA
Response to Change Depending on Occurrence of Variants

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] The government is seeking ways to minimize the disposal of surplus COVID-19 vaccines it has already secured.

On the 6th, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) announced that at the CDSCH meeting held that day, related ministries including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency discussed the progress of COVID-19 vaccine procurement and future utilization plans.

Previously, the government had secured 196 million doses of vaccines in 2021 and 90 million doses this year.

According to the CDSCH, since last month, a task force has been formed to discuss measures such as donating vaccines that are unlikely to be used domestically to overseas countries. This is to minimize vaccine disposal and increase utilization. As of last month, 15,608,000 doses remain domestically, and 379,311 doses have been discarded.

The recipient countries for vaccine donations have not yet been decided. Yang Dong-gyo, head of the Vaccine Management Division at the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, said, "Potential recipient countries are being identified through various diplomatic channels led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assess overseas demand," adding, "We are in discussions with these countries and will provide detailed information once the negotiations become concrete."

Depending on the possibility of new variant emergence, the government may use the contracted vaccine quantities domestically. Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Accident Response Headquarters, stated, "If a new variant that evades vaccination appears in the second half of the year, vaccine manufacturers will update vaccines suitable for the variant, and we are set to receive those supplies accordingly," adding, "It is necessary to maintain vaccination quantities for the entire population in preparation for such a possibility."

Son also explained, "If such variants do not appear, the current vaccine surplus exceeds the required amount," and added, "We are simultaneously conducting negotiations with vaccine suppliers to adjust contract schedules and with groups and countries worldwide that can receive donations."

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