First Vaccine Dose for 50,000 Medical Staff... 70% of the Population to Complete Second Dose by November (Comprehensive)

10 Million Vaccinations in the First Half of the Year... First Dose Completion by September

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The government will begin COVID-19 vaccinations next month targeting 50,000 workers at COVID-19 treatment hospitals.

After administering the first vaccinations to medical staff, the plan is to vaccinate residents and workers at long-term care hospitals in the first quarter, seniors aged 65 and older in the second quarter, and adults aged 19?64 in the third quarter, completing the first dose by September and the second dose for 70% of the population by November. Individuals cannot choose their vaccine type, and those who refuse vaccination will be moved to the end of the vaccination priority list.

Jung Eun-kyung, head of the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, stated at a vaccine briefing on the 28th, "To minimize deaths and block community transmission, we plan to sequentially implement COVID-19 vaccinations starting in February with the goal of achieving herd immunity by November."

Initial batch of 50,000 doses administered first at the Central Vaccination Center of the National Medical Center to infectious disease hospital medical staff

The government will first vaccinate 50,000 doses of the initial vaccine supply arriving in February to workers at COVID-19 treatment hospitals. This includes staff at infectious disease specialized hospitals, hospitals operating severe patient treatment beds, and medical personnel at residential treatment centers.

Considering this is the first domestic vaccination, vaccinations will be conducted primarily for medical staff at infectious disease specialized hospitals and other medical institutions located in the metropolitan area at the Central Vaccination Center established at the National Medical Center, a central infectious disease specialized hospital.

Subsequently, vaccinations will expand to three regional base vaccination centers (Central, Honam, Yeongnam regions' infectious disease specialized hospitals), and vaccines will be delivered to individual COVID-19 dedicated hospitals for on-site vaccinations at medical institutions.

From mid-March, vaccinations will begin for 500,000 high-risk medical institution workers such as general hospital staff and first responders including epidemiological investigators. Starting in May, vaccinations will commence for 8.5 million people including elderly home care and welfare facility users and workers, users and workers of facilities for the disabled and homeless, those aged 65 and older, and healthcare workers and pharmacists excluded from the first quarter, aiming to complete vaccinations for 10 million people in the first half of the year.

From July, vaccinations will target adults with chronic diseases, essential personnel such as firefighters and police, and education and childcare facility workers. In the third quarter, when vaccine supply is concentrated, vaccinations for adults aged 19?64 will begin, with the goal of completing the second dose for 70% of the entire population by November, before the influenza season.

Jung said, "For urgent overseas travel due to essential official duties or important economic activities, vaccinations will be possible from the second quarter after strict procedures," adding, "Overseas Koreans will also be vaccinated domestically according to the schedule, and foreigners will be able to receive vaccinations as well."

So far, the government has signed purchase contracts for vaccines covering 56 million people through the COVAX Facility and individual pharmaceutical companies (AstraZeneca, Janssen, Pfizer, Moderna). Additionally, to prepare for uncertainties in vaccine supply, contracts for 20 million doses with Novavax are being pursued.

By pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca vaccines will be introduced from the first quarter, Janssen and Moderna from the second quarter, and Pfizer from the third quarter in stages. The supply timing and quantity of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines scheduled to be introduced from the first quarter through COVAX will be finalized soon.

However, it was mentioned that the introduction of AstraZeneca vaccines before the Lunar New Year holiday is difficult. Jung said, "Although AstraZeneca vaccine approval is underway, even if approved, quality inspections for national release approval must be conducted, so it will be difficult to vaccinate with AstraZeneca vaccines before the Lunar New Year holiday," adding, "Vaccinations will start at the end of February."

Regarding AstraZeneca doses provided through COVAX, detailed vaccination plans will be announced once supply plans and quantities are decided by the end of January. Also, for vaccines introduced early through COVAX before individual vaccine approvals, the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use authorization status will be referenced, and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will jointly consult experts to consider special importation for domestic introduction.

Vaccinations by vaccine type at vaccination centers and medical institutions; mobile vaccination teams operate

COVID-19 vaccines have different storage and distribution requirements depending on the manufacturer, and vaccination locations vary by vaccine type. Therefore, a safe vaccine distribution and storage system is being established through a joint effort of civilian, government, and military sectors. Currently, the KDCA has established a distribution management system with SK Bioscience, which is responsible for distributing AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Pfizer vaccines. Moderna vaccines will be distributed through another company.

Vaccinations are conducted at vaccination centers (approximately 250 centers for mRNA vaccines) and entrusted medical institutions (about 10,000 for viral vector vaccines) depending on the vaccine type. Mobile vaccination teams operate to vaccinate those with mobility difficulties, such as residents of elderly care facilities and severely disabled facilities.

Additionally, a dedicated COVID-19 vaccination system will be established to provide vaccination-related information and smoothly operate the pre-registration system. From the 1st of next month, vaccination-related information will be available on the COVID-19 vaccination website (http://ncv.kdca.go.kr), and from March, vaccination eligibility timing and pre-registration functions will be gradually expanded.

City and provincial joint rapid response teams and vaccination damage investigation teams will operate, and cases where epidemiological investigations confirm causality between vaccination and adverse reactions will be compensated by the state under the "Vaccination Damage Compensation System," covering treatment costs, nursing care fees, disability, and death lump-sum compensation.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Jung Eun-kyung: "Difficult to simultaneously pursue quarantine and vaccination... Must control the outbreak as much as possible" Global vaccine shortages pose risks to supply schedules

Ahead of the full-scale vaccination next month, Jung expressed challenges from the perspective of quarantine authorities. He said, "Medical professionals, local governments, and health authorities face difficulties in simultaneously managing COVID-19 quarantine and vaccination," adding, "This is why it is essential to control the COVID-19 outbreak as much as possible."

Jung emphasized, "Due to global vaccine shortages, vaccine supply schedules may be disrupted, and preparations are needed for uncertainties such as the impact of virus variants and the duration of immunity."

He continued, "Even after vaccinations begin, the COVID-19 outbreak will not end quickly. Countries with relatively high vaccination rates are still experiencing new confirmed cases and deaths, and if quarantine measures are not strictly followed, this could happen to us as well."

Jung urged, "Now is the time to adhere to basic quarantine principles to suppress and end the third wave. To protect the elderly and vulnerable and to safeguard our precious daily lives, I ask for the continued participation and solidarity of the public."