After AZ, Pfizer Vaccination Begins... "Feeling Reassured After Getting the Shot"

Vaccinations Begin at Central Medical Center Central Vaccination Center
300 COVID-19 Treatment Hospital Workers Vaccinated on First Day

Director Jeong Gi-hyeon: "Possible to Vaccinate 7 People per Vial"

On the morning of the 27th, Jeong Mi-kyung, a cleaning staff member of the Facilities Team at the National Medical Center, received the first Pfizer vaccination at the Central Vaccination Center of the National Medical Center in Euljiro, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] "I feel much more at ease and really hope everyone gets (vaccinated)" (Jeong Mi-kyung, cleaning staff of the Facilities Team at National Medical Center)

As COVID-19 vaccinations began in earnest with AstraZeneca vaccines on the 26th followed by Pfizer vaccines on the 27th, steps toward recovery of daily life have started.

On the 27th, the first Pfizer vaccine administration in Korea began at the Central Vaccination Center of the National Medical Center in Seoul. The doses, introduced through the international vaccine supply organization COVAX, are being administered as the first dose to approximately 54,500 workers at COVID-19 treatment hospitals. On this day, a total of 300 people received vaccinations, including 199 staff members of the National Medical Center and 101 workers from COVID-19 treatment hospitals in the metropolitan area.

On the morning of the 27th, COVID-19 medical workers who received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are waiting in the observation room at the Central Vaccination Center of the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The first vaccination, given at around 9:04 a.m., was administered to Jeong Mi-kyung (50), a cleaning staff member of the Facilities Team working in the COVID-19 confirmed patient ward at the National Medical Center. Jeong said, "I felt honored to receive the first shot here at the National Medical Center," and added, "I thought I should work even harder for our hospital."

Joanna, a 36-year-old nurse in the Infectious Disease Intensive Care Unit at the National Medical Center who was vaccinated that day, said, "I feel more reassured after getting vaccinated," and added, "There was no difference from other vaccines, and I had no adverse reactions at all." Nurse Son Hong-seok (28) also said, "I was nervous, but once I got the shot, it was no different from the influenza vaccine."

Oh Myung-don, director of the Central Vaccination Center, explained, "Temperature control is the most important aspect in managing the Pfizer vaccine," and added, "We conducted more than five rehearsals to maintain the cold chain." Regarding growing concerns about the efficacy and safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine, he emphasized, "The best vaccine is the one you can get when it's your turn," and stated, "Scientifically, all vaccines are safe and their preventive effects are well proven."

The Pfizer vaccine requires a total of two doses. For COVID-19 treatment hospital workers, the first dose is scheduled to be completed by March 20, and the second dose by April 10.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun visited the Central Vaccination Center at the National Medical Center in Euljiro, Jung-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 27th, receiving a status report and conversing with officials. Photo by Joint Press Corps

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun attended the vaccination site that day to observe the Pfizer vaccine administration. He conversed with the first vaccine recipient Jeong, two nurses working in the COVID-19 intensive care unit, and one doctor directly treating COVID-19 patients, and received a report on the vaccination progress at the Central Vaccination Center.

Prime Minister Chung said, "With the COVID-19 vaccination that started yesterday, the journey toward the recovery of daily life that all citizens long for has taken its first step," and added, "We will not let our guard down until we achieve the government's goal of herd immunity by November and ensure that all citizens can participate in vaccination with confidence."

At this event, the National Medical Center also announced plans to verify the expansion of vaccination numbers using a special 'Low Dead Space (LDS)' syringe developed by domestic companies through the vaccinations conducted that day.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the Pfizer vaccine dose per injection is 0.3cc, and each vial contains six doses. When using a regular syringe, only five doses can be extracted, so an LDS syringe is required to extract six doses.

However, on this day, Jeong Ki-hyun, director of the National Medical Center, explained to Prime Minister Chung that "the syringes are good, and the nurses' skills are excellent, so even better results can be expected," and revealed plans that using the special LDS syringe could allow extraction of up to seven doses per vial.

He explained that when the frozen Pfizer vaccine is thawed, about 0.45cc is obtained, and mixing it with 1.8cc of saline results in a total of 2.2cc, which can yield seven doses if 0.3cc is extracted each time. This would increase the number of possible vaccinations by about 16.7%, and if successful in increasing the number of doses per vial to seven, it would be the world's first case.

Meanwhile, as of midnight on the 27th, 18,489 people nationwide had completed vaccination with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which began the previous day. The first priority vaccination group includes 289,480 people under 65 years old who are inpatients or residents and workers at 5,803 nursing hospitals, facilities, mental health, and rehabilitation facilities nationwide. On the first day, 6.39% of this group completed vaccination.