First Shipment of 780,000 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses... Special Transport Operation for Nursing Hospitals

Distributed to 1,900 Nursing Hospitals and Public Health Centers Nationwide
Vaccination for Under 65 Residents and Workers on 26th
29 Vaccination Centers Set Up in Seoul Public Facilities
Plan to Complete Vaccination for 70% of Citizens by October

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Sojeong Seo, Chulyoung Lim, Sunhee Son] South Korea's first COVID-19 vaccine, the AstraZeneca vaccine, was shipped for the first time on the 24th. The vaccine, manufactured under contract by SK Bioscience, was transported to a logistics center in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, and then sent to public health centers and nursing hospitals across the country. With the first vaccinations scheduled for the 26th, expectations for a return to normal life are growing.

◆First shipment of 780,000 doses begins today= Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun chaired the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting at the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office in Andong, Gyeongbuk, in the morning, stating, "The finished COVID-19 vaccine products to be supplied to the public are being shipped for the first time from our company's vaccine production plant located in Andong, Gyeongbuk," adding, "This is finally the first step toward the long-awaited return to normal life." Prime Minister Chung emphasized, "The government is thoroughly preparing every process from vaccine procurement to transportation, distribution, vaccination, and adverse reaction management to ensure the public can receive vaccinations with confidence."

Andong is home to SK Bioscience's factory, which produces the AstraZeneca vaccine under contract. Among the total 780,000 doses (1.57 million shots) produced here, some were shipped for the first time today, with the remaining doses scheduled to be shipped over the next five days. The vaccines will be delivered to approximately 1,900 nursing hospitals and public health centers nationwide via the logistics center.

Immediately after the CDSCH meeting, Prime Minister Chung visited the SK Bioscience Andong plant and personally sealed the transport vehicle carrying the finished vaccine products, saying, "This is an exhilarating moment as the COVID-19 vaccine that the entire nation has eagerly awaited finally appears," and added, "The COVID-19 vaccine will be administered first to those who need it most."

◆Vaccinations start with nursing hospital residents and workers under 65= The vaccines shipped today will be administered to residents and workers under 65 years old in nursing hospitals, nursing facilities, and mental health and rehabilitation facilities. Vaccinations will officially begin on the 26th. So far, 289,271 people have expressed their intention to be vaccinated, including 186,659 from 1,657 nursing hospitals and 102,612 from 4,147 elderly nursing and mental health rehabilitation facilities.

Initially, the plan was to vaccinate elderly people aged 65 and over in nursing hospitals first, but the government postponed this schedule, citing that only 7.4% of clinical trial participants were over 65, requiring additional statistical evidence of effectiveness. Among all vaccination candidates, 93.6% have agreed to be vaccinated. In nursing hospitals with full-time doctors, the first dose will be completed within five days, while in elderly nursing facilities and mental health rehabilitation facilities without resident doctors, vaccination teams from public health centers or contracted doctors will visit to administer the vaccine.

The COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team set the vaccination interval at 8 to 12 weeks. The first dose will be administered between February and March, and the second dose between April and May. Vaccinations for hospital-level medical staff, patients and workers in psychiatric institutions with closed wards, and first responders to COVID-19 will also begin in March.

◆Seoul City aims to complete 70% vaccination by the end of October= Seoul City plans to complete vaccinations for 6.06 million residents, representing over 70% of its population, by the end of October. Vaccinations will be carried out in priority stages: 96,000 people in the first stage (by March), 1.85 million in the second stage (April to June), and 4.11 million in the third stage (July to November). The first group includes 22,615 residents and workers under 65 in 137 nursing hospitals and 275 nursing facilities within Seoul. The first dose will be completed by March, and the second dose by April to May.

Vaccinations will be conducted through three channels: vaccination centers, contracted medical institutions, and home visits. Vaccination centers will administer Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which require ultra-cold storage. The government operates one central vaccination center at the National Medical Center, and Seoul City plans to establish 29 local vaccination centers in large public facilities such as community centers and gymnasiums.

For local vaccination centers, locations for 25 sites have been finalized. Seoul's first local vaccination center will be set up in a multipurpose auditorium at Seongdong District Office and will begin operations in mid-next month. Vaccinations will be carried out under contract with Seoul National University Hospital, which will also operate a 24-hour control room.