Over 13 Million People Have Received the First Vaccine Dose... Vaccine Supply Continues (Comprehensive)

Citizens are seated for post-vaccination adverse reaction monitoring at the vaccination center set up in Dongdaemun-gu Gymnasium, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The government achieved its goal of administering 13 million first doses of COVID-19 vaccines by mid-year on the 15th.

Kim Ki-nam, Head of the Vaccination Planning Division at the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Task Force, stated at the regular briefing of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters on the 15th, "As of 2:30 PM today, the number of people who have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine has surpassed 13 million," adding, "This means that one in four Koreans has received at least one dose, exceeding a vaccination rate of 25%."

According to the task force, as of 2:30 PM on the same day, provisional statistics show that the number of first-dose recipients reached 13,000,497, surpassing 13 million. The corresponding vaccination rate is 25.3%.

With nearly 12.56 million people having received their first dose as of midnight that day, it was anticipated that the 13 million vaccination target would be met during the afternoon. This achievement reached the target of vaccinating 25% of the population about two weeks ahead of schedule, marking 110 days since COVID-19 vaccinations began on February 26. Considering that 1.63 million people have pre-registered for vaccinations from June 16 to 19, it is expected that the 14 million mark could be reached within this week.

This milestone was largely due to the accelerating pace of COVID-19 vaccinations. It took 39 days to surpass 1 million vaccinations after the start on February 26. However, after surpassing 10 million on June 10, it took only 5 days to vaccinate an additional 3 million people.

Since the start of domestic vaccinations on February 26, it took a full 39 days to reach 1 million vaccinated individuals. It then took about 50 more days to vaccinate an additional 3 million people. However, the record of 13 million vaccinations was achieved just 5 days after surpassing 10 million on June 10.

The government aims to complete first-dose vaccinations for 36 million people, or 70% of the entire population, by September. Following that, the plan is to complete second-dose vaccinations by November to achieve herd immunity.

On the 1st, a forklift is moving boxes containing 55,000 doses of Moderna vaccine, which arrived at GC Green Cross Ochang Plant in Ochang-eup, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, to the storage warehouse.
[Photo by Lee Chunhee]

This week will also see the start of supply and administration of the fourth domestically approved vaccine, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. At the briefing, Kim said, "The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is currently conducting national release approval for the initial batch of 55,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine," adding, "Once the national release approval process is completed within today or tomorrow, the vaccine will be delivered to medical institutions, and vaccinations are expected to begin within this week."

The vaccine will be administered primarily at 45 tertiary hospitals through self-administration programs targeting healthcare workers, including prospective medical personnel under 30 years old.

On the 16th, 650,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines, procured through individual contracts, will arrive at Incheon Airport. This will complete the delivery of 5.7 million doses out of the 7 million doses of Pfizer vaccines scheduled for introduction in the first half of the year. The remaining 1.3 million doses will be delivered sequentially.