On the 9th, medical staff are vaccinating participants in the Corona 19 vaccination simulation training held at the National Medical Center’s Comprehensive Cancer Vaccination Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo Joint Report
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved the use of AstraZeneca vaccine for the first time in Korea as a corona 19 vaccine on the 10th. The vaccine, which is already being vaccinated with emergency approval or conditional approval in 50 countries including Europe, is expected to start on the 26th with the supply of 750,000 domestic consignment production. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will prepare a list of vaccination targets sooner or later, but if it is according to the original plan, it applies to the elderly in nursing hospitals and nursing facilities belonging to the high-risk group.
Although the AstraZeneca vaccine has no safety issues, there is a limitation in that it is difficult to determine if it is effective for the elderly over 65 years of age due to insufficient clinical data. For this reason, France, Germany, Austria and Sweden recommended vaccination under the age of 65, and Spain approved the vaccination until age 55. The United States, Switzerland and South Africa have withheld approval. That’s why the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has given a clue that, while permitting the use of all ages over 18, it is necessary to carefully decide on use for the elderly over 65.
However, it is difficult to understand that the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety explained the meaning of this precaution as’the doctor should fully judge the benefits of vaccination according to the subject’s condition’. Since there is no basis, the authorities can’t even judge. Do you have any indication of how beneficial the doctor is to whom? It is doubtful that the responsibility for the effectiveness of the vaccination is left to the doctor. As the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended further discussion of vaccination measures for the elderly, it is correct that the authorities are responsible and set the direction. If consensus is difficult, it is also possible to postpone vaccination after the end of March, when large-scale clinical results are available.
Countries are struggling with vaccine supply shortages. The European Union (EU) currently supplies less than 1% of the contract volume. As a result, there are even suggestions to increase the interval between two doses to suit as many people as possible, or to increase the number of times by reducing the dose of the vaccine. There is also a move to revisit vaccines from Russia and China, which were neglected due to safety concerns. The Korean government, too, cannot be relieved that it has secured supplies beyond the total population.
News directly edited by the Hankook Ilbo can also be viewed on Naver.
