The AZ vaccine should be given to the elderly over 65 years old… Morning official announcement

About two weeks after vaccination for the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) began in Korea, a majority of the priority vaccination subjects received the primary vaccine, and the elderly aged 65 and over will also receive the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine from next month. see.

In particular, it is expected that the vaccination speed will be faster in the future as the government uses the vaccination reserve for the second vaccination, which must be taken twice, in the first vaccination.

◇ So far, 446,000 people have been inoculated… Announcement in the morning whether or not to receive the AZ vaccine over the age of 65

According to the Central Defense Countermeasure Headquarters (Bangdaebon) on the 11th, a total of 446,941 people were vaccinated by 0 o’clock the previous day.

As of the previous day, 57.6% of the 775,000,601 people who were eligible for the priority vaccination completed the first vaccination.

The vaccination rate is still at 0.85% of the domestic population (52 million), but the vaccination rate is likely to rise rapidly as the government plans to expand the vaccination targets along with efforts to provide vaccines early.

Immediately, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will announce the final deliberation result of the Vaccination Specialist Committee on whether or not to use the AstraZeneca vaccine for people 65 years of age or older at 8:50 am.

Amid controversy about the’vaccination effect’ of the AstraZeneca vaccine, the possibility of Korea approving the vaccination is increasing as European countries such as Germany, Sweden, and Belgium, which excluded 65 years of age or older from priority vaccination, have changed their position to’allow’ .

At a meeting between the quarantine authorities and experts held last week, opinions agreed to allow AstraZeneca vaccination for people 65 and older.

If the final decision is made, about 370,000 hospitalized, residents and workers aged 65 or older in nursing hospitals and nursing facilities where vaccinations were withheld will receive vaccinations from this month.

◇ Total power to secure the quantity… Reserve for the 2nd vaccination Used for the 1st vaccination

However, the amount of vaccines to be vaccinated for the elderly over the age of 65 has not been sufficiently secured yet. Accordingly, it is highly likely that the vaccination will be given sequentially from the elderly, such as those aged 75 or older.

The government has announced a plan to vaccination sequentially from the elderly through the’Corona 19 Vaccination Plan’ announced in January. At the time of last year’s influenza (flu) vaccination, a plan was established that among the subjects aged 62 and older, those aged 75 or older will receive the vaccination first.

Currently, about 8.5 million people are over 65 years old. Specifically, ▲ 2 million people aged 80 or older ▲ 1.6 million people aged 75 to 79 ▲ 2.1 million people aged 70 to 74 ▲ 2.8 million people aged 65 to 69 years old.

Looking at the vaccine supply status, out of the 10 million people secured through individual negotiations with AstraZeneca, 785,000 (1.57 million doses), which were first introduced last month, went to the targets in the first quarter. The second round of 3.5 million people will be introduced at the end of May.

Apart from this, AstraZeneca vaccine is also supplied through’CoVax Facility’ (International Project for Vaccine Joint Purchasing), for 345,000 people (69 million doses) in March and 75,000 people (1.41 million doses) from April to May. Minutes) is expected to come in.

In the case of Pfizer’s vaccine, 500,000 out of the 13 million contracts directly contracted with pharmaceutical companies will be delivered in advance of 250,000 (500,000 doses) each in the fourth and fifth week of this month, and 3 million will be supplied in the second quarter.

Although the vaccine is introduced on schedule, the quantity in March-April is not so large.

Accordingly, the government decided to actively review the method of using the vaccine being stored for the second vaccination for the first vaccination of other subjects.

If stockpiles for the second vaccination are injected into new subjects, the number of vaccinations itself increases in the short term. Since the second vaccination takes place at least two months later, the authorities calculate that an additional supply of vaccine can be provided in the meantime.

Hong Jung-ik, head of the vaccination management team of the Corona 19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, said at a briefing the previous day, “If the second part is in or the schedule is clear, I will not wait for a new vaccine.”

The government also adjusted the interval between the first and second doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

In the meantime, it was recommended to inoculate twice at 8-week intervals, but the inoculation interval was widened between 8-12 weeks after the first inoculation.

This is interpreted as a measure in mind to utilize the amount of water for the second inoculation early.

Meanwhile, the vaccination committee also reviewed the vaccination schedule for the second quarter.

According to the current vaccination plan, in the second quarter, about 8.5 million people aged 65 and over and about 900,000 residents and workers in welfare facilities for the elderly and living and using facilities for the disabled will receive vaccinations.

In addition, about 380,000 medical professionals and pharmacists working in clinics and pharmacies, excluding those subject to vaccination in the first quarter, are also eligible for vaccination in the second quarter.

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