[서울신문] Vaccine famine solution? “Russian Sputnik V is worth considering… China’s Sinoparm should be cautious”

Target volume of 12 million people in the second quarter is tight
Janssen, Modena, and NovaVax introduction schedule undecided
“Insufficient information on Chinese vaccine disclosure… Difficult to judge”
“Similar to Russia vaccine AZ… Expectation to pass safety”

As the overseas vaccine famine caused the domestic vaccine supply schedule to fluctuate, it was argued that additional supplies, such as the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, should be secured as a plan B (emergency plan). This is because the government has confirmed the schedule for the introduction of the Corona 19 vaccine in the second quarter and took a sigh, but it cannot guarantee the supply of the vaccine in the third quarter.

Even with the introduction of 216,000 AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccines contracted with the multinational vaccine association’CoVax Facility’ to Korea on the 3rd, the introduction schedule was pushed back from the end of March to the third week of this month, and then again, twists and turns. There was a lot. According to the Corona 19 Vaccination Promotion Team on the 4th, the vaccines that have been confirmed to be introduced in April-June are about 7.78,500 AstraZenekawa and Pfizer vaccines. This is a tight amount to inoculate 12 million people, including 3rd graders of high school, who are newly included in the 2nd quarter vaccination target. The schedule for the introduction of the first batches of Janssen, NovaVax, and Modena vaccines has not been decided.

Experts suggest that the introduction of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine could also be considered in this situation. However, he urged a cautious approach to the introduction of the Chinese Synofam vaccine. Kim Moran, a professor of preventive medicine at the Graduate School of National Cancer Center, said, “Since the Sputnik V vaccine is commissioned in Korea, it can be easily verified, and it is a vaccine in the same type as AstraZeneca, so it will not be difficult to pass the safety evaluation.” However, Prof. Ki added, “Since there are not many published data on the Chinese sinofam vaccine, it is difficult to judge.”

The Sputnik V vaccine demonstrated 91.5% efficacy in phase 3 clinical trials in February. The protection effect for the elderly was higher at 91.8%. It can be distributed at room temperature and the price is about 22,000 won, which is inexpensive. By the end of last month, 57 countries, including Hungary and Slovakia, had introduced the Sputnik V vaccine. However, it has not yet been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Kim Woo-joo, a professor of infectious medicine at Korea University’s Guro Hospital, said, “There are fewer than 30,000 participants in the phase 3 clinical trial of the Sputnik V vaccine, but we can consider introducing it by verifying in various ways such as randomized and placebo-controlled in several groups. Prof. Kim also said, “We have never analyzed the efficacy by conducting a clinical trial with a scientifically proven research design, so we do not know at this time.”

In the third quarter, when 50% of the population needs to be vaccinated, at least 25 million vaccines should be introduced domestically. According to OurWorld In Data, a statistical site at Oxford University in the UK, the number of vaccinations per 100 people in Korea as of 2 days was 1.91, ranking 113th. However, Professor Kim pointed out, “The more urgent it is, the more we have to return.”

Reporter Lee Hyun-jung [email protected]