[앵커]
In the United States, Johnson & Johnson has decided to apply next week for approval for urgent use of the vaccine. Even one hit is 66% of the preventive effect, but it was also found that in South Africa it was difficult to use. The United States has entered a’speed battle’ to rush to get a vaccine before the mutant virus spreads further.
Correspondent Lim Jong-ju in Washington reports.
[기자]
A rural town in Minnesota, USA.
A single vaccine requires hundreds of kilometers to travel.
Above all, freezing storage at an extremely low temperature of tens of degrees below zero is a challenging task.
[수전 자비스/미국 미네소타주 샌퍼드건강 CEO : 의사와 직원들이 (접종) 여행을 합니다. 주민들을 위해 보내는 것입니다.]
The advantage of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is that it is much simpler than this.
[폴 스토펠/미국 존슨앤드존슨 연구책임자 : 1회 접종이면 됩니다. 섭씨 2도에서 8도에서 석 달 동안 보관할 수 있습니다.]
The preventive effect is 66%, in severe cases 85%.
Pfizer, which is 95%, lower than Modena.
However, it is the opinion of the authorities that the effect is no less.
[앤서니 파우치/미국 국립알레르기·감염병연구소장 : 백신을 접종한 그룹에선 입원이나 사망자가 없었습니다. 가치 있는 백신 후보를 확보한 것입니다.]
However, in South Africa, the immune effect has dropped to 57%.
This means that, like any vaccine, it may be susceptible to highly contagious mutations.
After all, it’s best to get as many guesses as quickly as possible.
[앤서니 파우치/미국 국립알레르기·감염병연구소장 : 변이 바이러스는 우리 모두에게 경종을 울리는 것입니다.]
Johnson & Johnson plans to apply for emergency use approval around next week.
President Biden, who inoculated 100 million people within 100 days of inauguration, also visited a military hospital for the first time outside to check the status of vaccine distribution.
(Video graphic: Kim Ji-hye)