President Moon Jae-in is holding a summit meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the 20th (local time) at the bilateral meeting room of the New York UN Mission.
[Asia Economy Reporter Bu Aeri] COVID-19 vaccines arriving from the United Kingdom through vaccine exchange will be used for unvaccinated individuals and for vaccinations of the 18-49 age group.
The COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team stated in a press release on the 21st, "We are currently pursuing vaccine exchange with the UK," adding, "The supplied vaccines will be used for new first doses for the unvaccinated and second doses for those aged 18 to 49."
The vaccines coming from the UK are known to be mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) based products. Pfizer and Moderna are examples of mRNA vaccines.
Regarding whether the additional supply will shorten the current 6-week interval between Pfizer and Moderna vaccine doses, the team explained, "We are comprehensively reviewing this considering vaccine supply conditions and vaccination progress."
Earlier, a senior Blue House official accompanying President Moon Jae-in, who is attending the United Nations General Assembly and visiting New York, USA, told reporters on the 20th (local time), "It is likely that 1 million doses (1 dose equals one vaccination) of mRNA vaccines will be sequentially introduced from the UK starting September 25."
The vaccine import from the UK was effectively formalized during the summit between President Moon and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the same day.
Prime Minister Johnson expressed at the meeting, "I am pleased that Korea and the UK will engage in vaccine exchange," and President Moon said, "I hope that the vaccine exchange will further strengthen Korea-UK relations."
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