Domestic corona vaccine surpassed 1 million… 39 days after vaccination started

The number of first-time vaccinations for the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in Korea exceeded 1 million on the 6th. It has been 39 days since the vaccination started on February 26th.

Kim Ki-nam, head of the vaccination management team of the Corona 19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, said at a regular briefing on the day that “to date, the number of primary vaccinations has exceeded 1 million.” Kim also added, “As 27,000 people have completed the 2nd vaccination, the promotion team will make more efforts so that more people can receive the vaccination in a short time as well as efforts to supply the vaccine.”

As of 0 o’clock on the previous day, the cumulative number of primary vaccinations was 99,980. This is 1.92% of the total citizens (52 million).

When it exceeded 1 million, the promotion team explained, “At the time of briefing, we have confirmed that there are more than 1 million (primary vaccinators). We will check and explain specific statistics at 0 o’clock tomorrow.”

Although the vaccine has been vaccinated for more than a month, it is pointed out that the speed of vaccination is not improving due to uncertainty in supply and demand for the vaccine. Recently, as there has been a war-like competition over securing vaccines around the world, the government belatedly formed the’Pan-Government Vaccine Introduction Task Force (TF)’. It transferred the vaccine introduction work, which had been assigned to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Kim pointed out that the formation of a pan-government TF was too late. “Up to now, the relevant ministries have worked together to introduce a vaccine, centering on the promotion team,” and said, “Recently, the uncertainty in the supply of vaccines is increasing. It is a situation that the country faces in common. In order to overcome this situation more wisely, government-wide cooperation has been strengthened.”

In addition, regarding the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine stocked for the 2nd vaccination as the 1st vaccination, “we are managing to ensure that there is no disruption in the 2nd vaccination within the appropriate vaccination period.” It is not physically classified, but is managed by how many doses, that is, how many batches. “We are trying to increase the number of inoculations by making the most of the introduced quantity.”

He said, “It is the purpose of taking into account the vaccine introduced so far, and the timing and schedule of the next vaccine introduction, so that inventory management should be more effective and utilized as efficiently as possible,” he said. “Secondary vaccination proceeds smoothly.”
Reporter Esther [email protected]