President Moon Jae-in visits SK Bioscience in Andong, Gyeongbuk on the morning of the 20th, and is listening to the explanation of plant manager Lee Sang-gyun while inspecting the COVID-19 vaccine production facility. SK Bioscience is consigning production of AstraZeneca, a corona19 vaccine that is to be introduced in Korea. Photo Blue House Photo Reporters
The second vaccine to be supplied by the Korean government from the’COVAX Facility’, a multinational vaccine supplier association, is expected to be the AstraZeneca vaccine. Pfizer received a supply offer earlier, and Modena was running. Until now, the vaccine products to be supplied by Covax and the approximate timing have not been determined, but the outline is gradually emerging.
Pfizer already proposed
A government official who requested anonymity on the 21st said, “At this time, the only vaccines that COVAX can propose to the Korean government’Will you receive’ are Pfizer and AstraZeneca.” “The specific contract between Modena and Kovacs has not been confirmed “I know that it is less than expected to supply (to Kobax).”
COVAX is a kind of’vaccine joint purchase’ window. It is an organization operated by the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Vaccine Immunity Association (GAVI), and the Infectious Disease Innovation Association (CEPI) for the fair distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. At the expense paid by the participating countries, it is operated by first signing a vaccine pre-purchase contract with a global pharmaceutical company and then supplying the vaccine after the development is complete. The Korean government issued a legally binding letter of intent to participate in last August to Kovacs. Since then, we have been assigned 10 million people, which is about 20% of our population.
Graphic images of the recommended targets for domestic vaccination. Reporter Kim Young-hee
Korea delivers specific vaccination plan
Whenever the volume of vaccines from a particular pharmaceutical company that participated in the company is released, Kovacs always asks whether or not to receive the vaccine from the individual country that announced its intention to purchase the vaccine. This process is called’wave’. Earlier on the day before (20th) Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun appeared on MBC radio, saying, “(from Kobax)’I will receive it in early February’, and I answered’I will receive’ and are preparing now.”
In the case of Korea, it has already announced its intention to purchase a Pfizer vaccine, and the quantity of Pfizer secured by Kovacs was divided by country and first announced 50,000 people (100,000 doses) to Korea in the first wave. The volume of Pfizer secured by Kobax in the future is transmitted to Korea as a second wave. When you say’receive’, you must also submit an’inoculation plan’. This is to prevent even one dose of vaccine in the pandemic of the corona 19 world from receiving only one dose of vaccine in a regrettable situation. An official from the quarantine authority said, “We have issued a vaccination plan.”
Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun visited Ilshin Biobase headquarters in Dongducheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, a company that produces ultra-low temperature freezers for vaccine storage on the 21st, and listens to the explanation from the CEO of Hong Sung-dae. yunhap news
Decision on whether to supply COVAX next week
KOVAX goes through a screening process for various countries that have revealed their intention to purchase. It will be concluded as early as next week. Then, it makes a specific supply commitment with Kovacs. Since it is still in this stage, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is officially saving words. An official from the Agency for Disease Control and Prevention said, “The Pfizer vaccine is in strong discussion with respect to the initial supply of COVAX, but has not been confirmed.” When the supply is finalized, it may come early next month. Pfizer should be stored in a cryogenic condition of -70 degrees Celsius. To this end, the government signed a supply contract of 6.8 billion won with a manufacturer of cryogenic freezers on the 20th. It is planned to be deployed at the vaccination center at the end of this month.
Number of inspectors and new cases per day. Graphic = Reporter Kim Young-ok [email protected]
Should I take AstraZeneca?
The next vaccine that Kovacs will propose after Pfizer is likely to be AstraZeneca. However, the Korean government signed a one-on-one purchase contract with AstraZeneca in late November of last year. This initial delivery volume of 750,000 people will arrive in mid-February. KOVAX’s’AstraZeneca Wave’ is less attractive than Pfizer. In addition, AstraZeneca vaccine is available for general refrigerated distribution (cold chain). For this reason, Kovacs can first supply it to developing countries that do not have cryogenic refrigeration distribution facilities.
Reporter Minwook Kim [email protected]