As countries around the world have begun vaccination against the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19), attention is focused on who will get the vaccine and when in Korea.
According to the Central Defense Countermeasure Headquarters (Bang Dae-bon) on the 24th, the’Corona 19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team’, which includes the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and related ministries, will confirm the vaccination implementation plan and officially announce it on the 28th.
The promotion team plans to disclose the target, timing, and method of vaccination in detail while explaining the current status of the Korean government’s introduction of the Corona 19 vaccine through regular briefings on the afternoon of the day.
The government has signed vaccine purchase contracts with individual pharmaceutical companies such as’COVAX facility’, an international project for joint vaccine purchase and distribution, and AstraZeneca, Janssen, Pfizer, and Modena. Secured.
In addition, it has almost completed a contract with Nova Bax to bring in an additional 20 million people.
Among them, Kobax’s initial supply of 50,000 people is expected to be the first to come in early next month. Pfizer’s products are being actively reviewed for vaccines entering Korea through COVAX.
In addition, when looking at the timing of vaccine introduction by pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca is expected to enter from February to March, Janssen and Modena in the second quarter, NovaVax in May, and Pfizer in the third quarter.
As such vaccines come in sequentially, this vaccination plan is expected to include information on the priority targets, size, and timing of vaccinations for each target.
First of all, medical institution workers and elderly people living in nursing hospitals and facilities are mentioned as targets for vaccination.
In other countries, the U.S. Immunization Advisory Committee (ACIP) recommends medical staff and nursing home residents as a priority target for vaccination, and the UK’s Corona 19 Vaccination Guidelines (Greenbook Ch.14a) recommends the elderly and nursing home workers living in nursing homes. Is viewed as the first priority.
In addition, ▲ the elderly ▲ adults with chronic illness ▲ children and adolescents in education and childcare facilities ▲ first responders to Corona 19 ▲ adults aged 50 to 64 ▲ police, fire officials, soldiers ▲ correctional facilities and treatment center prisoners and staff It has been reviewed as an inoculation target.
Based on the discussion so far, the government plans to specify the priority of those who are recommended for priority vaccination.
In particular, it is planning to decide who will be the first to receive the initial volume of 50,000 Kovacs, which is expected to be introduced early next month.
This vaccination plan is expected to include details on where and how the vaccine can be received.
Previously, the quarantine authorities announced a policy to proceed with the vaccination in a’two-track’ method centered on consignment medical institutions and vaccination centers, as storage temperature and transportation method differ depending on the type of vaccine.
Like Pfizer and Modena, mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccines that must be kept in a “cryogenic” state are available at the vaccination center, and other vaccines such as AstraZeneca are available at consigned medical institutions.
The government plans to designate and operate approximately 10,000 consigned medical institutions and 250 vaccination centers.
In addition, this vaccination plan will also include the progress of the reorganization of the Corona 19 vaccination system.
The government is in a position to establish a separate vaccination system for COVID-19 in stages, separate from the existing national vaccination system, to facilitate advance reservation and issuance of vaccination certificates.