The new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) vaccination has entered the countdown. Beginning with the corona19 medical staff at the forefront of the metropolitan area next month, more than 10 million targets, including the elderly and workers in nursing hospitals, and the elderly over 65 years old, must finish vaccination during the first half of the year, so that general adults can get vaccination as early as July. However, there are many obstacles to be expected. Experts say that there should be no problems with the supply and demand of vaccination personnel on the premise that the vaccine supply is on schedule, and it is essential to secure reliability so that there is no rejection of vaccination.
10,300,000 people must be vaccinated by June.
According to the Corona 19 vaccination plan released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the 28th, vaccinations will be given to 10.300,000 people who are the top priority candidates for about 5 months from February to June. Starting with corona treatment medical staff, residents and workers in nursing hospitals and nursing facilities, workers in high-risk medical institutions such as general hospitals, first responders such as epidemiological investigators, and elderly people over 65 years old.
Officials in protective clothing are transporting patients to the next building in order to keep them away from the hospital at the Misodeul Nursing Hospital in Guro-gu, Seoul, where the outbreak of a novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) occurred last year. News 1
If these vaccinations are performed without problems during the first half of the year, the scope of vaccinations can be expanded to the general public aged 18 to 64 from July. The government has set a goal to end the first vaccinations for them by September. However, it is also important to keep in mind the possibility of encountering several outbreaks.
Workforce planning according to regional inoculation
First of all, it is important that the vaccine to be inoculated comes in as scheduled. There are cases of delayed vaccine supply even in the US and Europe, which produce vaccines at home. Recently, in Europe, AstraZeneca encountered difficulties when it announced that it would cut its supply in the first quarter by 60% due to production disruption.
Joongsik Um, a professor of infectious medicine at Gachon University Gil Hospital, said, “There are many variables. Several problems are expected due to supply level or incorrect vaccination. It is most important to minimize these areas and inoculate the target number somehow.”
Vaccination start time by target group (draft) Graphic = Reporter Kim Joo-won [email protected]
There should be no obstacles in securing manpower. The government plans to secure personnel trained for the characteristics of vaccines and deploy 6,000 medical and administrative personnel to vaccination centers and approximately 25,000 to general medical institutions.
Ma Sang-hyuk, vice president of the Korean Society of Vaccine (Changwon Fatima Hospital, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescents) said, “I don’t know the metropolitan area, but it is difficult to secure a manpower because a large number of public hospitals and public health centers are invested in corona prevention.” I have to try, but it’s not easy because I don’t know when the vaccine will be available.” A local government official also said, “In the case of local governments, if the central government does not provide support, there is no room.”
Elderly people may reject AstraZeneca’s efficacy controversy
It is uncertain whether each subject will be able to smoothly receive vaccination by period. In particular, considering the schedule proposed by the government, it seems that some elderly people will receive the AstraZeneca vaccine or Pfizer vaccine, which will be coming in the first quarter. In the case of AstraZeneca, the efficacy of vaccination for the elderly may be controversial.
When to supply the vaccine. Graphic = Kim Hyun-seo [email protected]
Jeon Byung-yul, a professor at the Graduate School of Medicine at Cha Medical University (former head of the Centers for Disease Control), said, “When the vaccination with AstraZenecar is started, I want to be sure that the vaccination for the elderly 65 years or older will be done properly.” AstraZeneca may be disregarding the principle when vaccinating them, as the evidence for efficacy in older people is lacking. “When targets 65 years of age or older reject the AstraZeneca vaccine, we have to think about how to persuade them.” Sang-Bong Kim, head of the Bio-Pharmaceutical Bureau of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, said, “The number of elderly testers in the clinical trial results is insufficient, so a statistical review is necessary. We plan to thoroughly verify the appropriateness of administration for the elderly.”
Corona 19 vaccine jointly developed by AstraZeneca with Oxford University in the UK. Courtesy of AstraZeneca
Jeong Ki-seok, a professor of respiratory internal medicine at Hallym University Sungsim Hospital (formerly the head of the Center for Disease Control), said, “The government has a plan for each period, but if the number of inoculations is unexpectedly low, we need to come up with measures.” “Why should we actively get the vaccine from the beginning? Even if it is right, we have to promote how much safety is guaranteed.”
Adverse reactions after vaccination. Graphic = Reporter Kim Kyung-jin [email protected]
In the case of corona treatment medical staff, it is pointed out that unlike the government plan, vaccination at the vaccination center may be somewhat unreasonable. Professor Jeon Byung-yul said, “The medical staff should be beaten at the hospital, but would it be easy for a busy manpower to go to each center and get vaccination due to the corona response?”
On the afternoon of the 28th, the building of the Corona 19 Isolation Treatment Ward at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, where the Central Corona 19 Vaccination Center will be installed. Newsis
‘Variable’ how long immunity will last
The government aims to form collective immunity to 70% of the population by November, but the duration of immunity is uncertain, so re-vaccination may be necessary, and there is a possibility that a mutant virus that will reduce vaccine efficacy may appear. Prof. Sanghyuk Ma said, “Because we cannot know how effective the vaccine will be and how long it will last, group immunity in November may be difficult. Without vaccination for children and adolescents, group immunity is virtually impossible.” Professor Eom Jung-sik said, “There will naturally be people who do not have antibody formation or have low immune effect.” “It is necessary to have antibodies in 60-70% to prevent the outbreak. However, there are cases where vaccination is rejected or not possible. May not come out,” he said.
“It is important to know how much immunity will be maintained,” said Kim Yoon, a professor of medical management at Seoul National University Medical School. “People who vaccinated at the end of February will be at their peak around April, but their immunity may disappear after 6 months. We need to consider these many things and set the target for collective immunity.”
Professor Kim said, “It is also the key to whether or not the mutant virus is spread,” he said. “If a mutant virus, which is known to have a stronger transmission power, spreads, it is necessary to increase the vaccination target for collective immunity.”
Reporters Hwang Soo-yeon and Kim Min-wook [email protected]