Vaccination Uptake Slows Due to Vaccine Supply Imbalance... Increase of About 38,900 People

This Week Sees Slower Growth in Daily Average Vaccinations
3.66 Million First Doses Administered, 7.1% of Total Population
AZ Vaccine Rollout for Ages 65-74 Begins on 27th

On the morning of the 3rd, citizens are waiting to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the vaccination center in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The daily number of COVID-19 vaccine recipients increased by 38,982. Due to an imbalance in vaccine supply, the number of new vaccine recipients has decreased compared to the previous week.

According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team on the 8th, the number of new vaccine recipients in one day was counted at 38,982. Since the beginning of this week, the average daily number of recipients has not exceeded 40,000 to 60,000. This contrasts with last week, when the daily record was continuously broken. On the 30th of last month, 259,018 people were vaccinated in one day.

Recently, due to a temporary imbalance in vaccine supply, the first-dose vaccination speed for both Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines has slowed. Previously, the cumulative number of first-dose recipients exceeded 3 million on the 29th of last month, 62 days after the start of domestic vaccination, and then increased rapidly for a while as vaccination centers and entrusted medical institutions increased.

As of the day before, a total of 3,662,587 people have completed the first dose, with a vaccination rate of 7.1% of the total population (51,341,116). Among the cumulative first-dose recipients, 2,004,716 received the AstraZeneca vaccine, and 1,657,871 received the Pfizer vaccine.

The number of second-dose recipients increased by 76,790. The cumulative number of people who completed the second dose reached 473,994. The total cumulative number of first and second doses combined is 4,136,581.

Currently, AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines are being administered domestically.

The AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine started on February 26 for inpatients and residents under 65 years old and workers in nursing hospitals and nursing facilities, and has expanded to include COVID-19 first responders, hospital-level or higher medical institution workers, and others. Workers in medical institutions and pharmacies, patients with chronic kidney disease, essential social workers (police, firefighters, etc.), and military personnel also receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.

From the 27th of this month, AZ vaccine administration will begin for the elderly aged 65 to 74. Following that, from the 7th of next month, vaccinations will be given to the elderly aged 60 to 64, patients with chronic severe respiratory diseases, and teachers and staff of kindergartens, daycare centers, and lower grades (1st to 2nd grade) of elementary schools aged 30 and above.

For the Pfizer vaccine, vaccination began on February 27 for workers at COVID-19 treatment hospitals, and the second dose has been administered since March 20. Since last month, Pfizer vaccines have also been administered to elderly people aged 75 and above. From next month, essential social workers under 30 and military personnel, who were excluded from AZ vaccine administration, will receive the Pfizer vaccine.

For AstraZeneca vaccine recipients, a 2nd dose is recommended at an interval of 11 to 12 weeks, and for Pfizer vaccine recipients, at an interval of 3 weeks.