USFK Modena Vaccine Arrival in Incheon… KATUSA Soldier Vaccination?

A novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) vaccine, which was started with a license from some countries such as the United States and Canada, was first introduced in Korea on the 25th.

According to Incheon International Airport, FedEx freighter FX5230 from Memphis, which carried the initial supply of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Corona 19 vaccine for U.S. forces in Korea, arrived at the cargo terminal at 12:54 pm on the day.

The vaccine that arrived in Korea on this day is a modder or product that was approved for emergency use (EUA) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the 18th, and it is known that the amount of the vaccine is about 1,000 times.

Modena vaccine uses the’messenger ribonucleic acid’ (mRNA, messenger RNA) method, similar to the Pfizer-Bioentech vaccine, which has already been vaccinated in the U.S. and U.K., and needs to be vaccinated twice every 4 weeks.

Modena vaccine came to Korea because it is easier to manage than Pfizer vaccine.

Since Pfizer vaccines must be stored at -70 degrees Celsius cryogenic temperature, transporting over long distances poses risks.

On the other hand, Modena vaccine can maintain a maximum stable state for up to 30 days at an image of 2.2 to 7.8 degrees. It can be stored for up to 6 months at -20 degrees Celsius, which is similar to the freezer temperature of a home refrigerator.

The vaccine that arrived that day will be transferred to the hospital, Brian Allgood, a medical facility at Camp Humphreys, a US military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, and inoculated it to medical staff and support personnel according to the guidelines of the US Department of Defense. Considering that it is the Christmas holiday, the vaccination is expected to start as early as next week.

However, it is unclear whether about 40 KATUSA Soldiers serving in the military as mandatory administrative personnel at Brian Allgood Hospital will be included in this vaccination.

For KATUSA Soldier vaccinations, the USFK Status Agreement (SOFA) subcommittee must go through consultations, as there is no request for consultations from the USFK.

However, the USFK has a policy to provide vaccination to all members of the USFK subsidiary in accordance with the increase in vaccine production and supply. Accordingly, there is an open possibility that Korean workers and KATUSA Soldiers working in the USFK will also receive some vaccines according to future discussions between the US and Korea and the progress of additional vaccine supply.

This could lead to the first Koreans to be vaccinated against Corona 19 in Korea.

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