Ahn Cheol-soo: "Secured 220,000 Pills of Oral COVID-19 Treatment 'Paxlovid'"

Mentioned at the 6th COVID-19 Emergency Response Special Committee
"Building a Big Data System... Preparing for the Next Pandemic"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Ahn Cheol-soo, Chairman of the Presidential Transition Committee, mentioned on the 31st that "220,000 oral COVID-19 treatment pills have been secured."

Chairman Ahn stated at the 6th Special Committee on COVID-19 Emergency Response held in the large conference room of the transition committee in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, in the afternoon, "Oral treatments, especially Paxlovid, are almost running out by the end of this month, but we have secured an additional 220,000 pills."

The transition committee also explained in a press release on the same day, "We will strive to promptly supply the additionally secured treatments to the citizens suffering from COVID-19," and added, "We will not stop at the amount secured this time but will focus our efforts on securing more stable treatments."

The newly secured Paxlovid is expected to arrive as early as the beginning of April.

Additionally, Chairman Ahn said, "We are building a big data system that collects and analyzes data on COVID-19 patients and vaccine side effects," and added, "By making this available to the public, we are proceeding to help properly organize the national system in preparation for the next pandemic."

Meanwhile, prior to the meeting, Chairman Ahn visited the face-to-face treatment site at Seoul Red Cross Hospital and held a private 25-minute meeting with medical staff.

Chairman Ahn said, "The field should be the most important basis for judgment," and added, "I came to listen to the voices from the field about the difficulties faced by those working and what is needed in the situation where Omicron has spread this much."