[ad_1]
Later this month, the schedule for the introduction of the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine, which was scheduled to be introduced through COVAX, the World Health Organization (WHO) vaccine co-purchase agreement, will be has been postponed until the third week of next month. . The amount of imports also decreased from 690,000 times (345,000 people) to 432,000 times (216,000 people).
The amount entered is also reduced by 260,000 times.
Eun-kyung Jung “Difficult International Supply Situation”
The first volume of Janssen also has fewer than 500,000 people.
Insufficient even if AZ 2 doses are reached
Expert “It seems that it is difficult to vaccinate 3 million people”
The United States Janssen vaccine, which ends with a single vaccine, also passed the ‘Vaccine Safety and Efficacy Verification Consultative Review’, the first gateway for national approval, on day 28 (prevention effect about 66%), but the initial volume to be introduced in May will be less than 500,000 people. The NovaVax vaccine, which was expected to have relatively stable supply and demand due to a national technology transfer contract, has become uncertain about the introduction of 20 million people in the second quarter as the problem of the shortage of raw materials.
Vaccine supply and demand in Korea are disrupted due to production delays by vaccine pharmaceutical companies due to lack of raw materials and before securing a new vaccine against coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in countries of everyone. The United States recently announced that it will secure 600 million doses of vaccine for all domestic vaccines in May, and some countries, such as India, are taking steps to stop exports to secure domestic vaccines.
Chung Eun-kyung, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a regular briefing at the Central Defense Countermeasures Headquarters on the 29th: “The AZ vaccine, which was decided to be supplied through of COVAX, it was delayed with respect to the original plan, and 432,000 doses will be introduced first in the third week of April. “” The difficulties of the international supply situation were reflected. To supply the vaccine to all participating countries in the first Mid-year, KOVAX changed the amount and timing of vaccination and notified it ”.
11.5 million people eligible for vaccination in Korea’s second quarter, only 4.18 million doses to be confirmed
Eunkyung jeong
In the case of the Janssen vaccine, the initial volume of vaccines to be introduced in May decreased to less than 500,000 people, contrary to the government’s initial explanation that 6 million people directly recruited from the second quarter will be introduced sequentially.
A government official said on the day: “Jansen is expected to be introduced during the third to fourth quarters, and is expected to focus on the third quarter. “It’s a really difficult situation to withdraw supply in a situation where supply is restricted in the United States.”
If the vaccine shortage situation does not improve, it is inevitable that the vaccination plan for the second quarter (April to June) will be interrupted. There is concern that it will be difficult to achieve the “November herd immunity” that the government has sought.
Previously, quarantine authorities announced that 11.5 million people will be vaccinated in the second quarter vaccination plan, but only the introduction of 4.18 million doses has been confirmed. Even if you use the entire amount without leaving a difference twice, it is very insufficient to inoculate as planned. The government plans to continue consultations for early supply, but experts are concerned that the goal will be difficult to achieve given the international situation.
According to the Defense Countermeasures Headquarters, out of a total of 2,102,000 AZ Cobax shipments (for 1,051,000 people) scheduled from the end of March to the second quarter, except for 432,000 shipments (216,000 people) that arrive in the third week of the following month. . The timing of the introduction of 1.67 million lots (835,000 people) is unclear.
As a result, there may be a vaccination break for 377,000 people 65 and older in hospitals and nursing facilities scheduled to be implemented later this month.
If the AZ vaccine came as planned, it would have been possible to some extent until the second vaccination, but now it is able to hold out with 432,000 doses available. Of course, it may be possible to inoculate if all are depleted once without leaving a difference of two. In the case of the AZ vaccine, the interval between the first and the second vaccination is 10 to 12 weeks, so it can be avoided with a strategy of ensuring the amount of vaccine in between.
An official from the quarantine authorities said: “We are continuing with the work of removing the vaccines. It is the same situation not only in Korea but also in the world, “he said.” We are planning to inoculate once by withdrawing both doses and spreading the AZ vaccine as much as possible. AZ is possible because it only adjusts every 12 weeks. ”
However, even if this method is used, the number of vaccinations in the second trimester is expected to be insufficient. There were a total of 7.32 million more AZ vaccination subjects, including 4.94 million seniors ages 65 to 74 and 490,000 teachers from May to June. If the 7 million doses (for 3.5 million people) from AZ’s direct contract, which was originally scheduled to be introduced in May-June, do not arrive on time, the inoculation schedule will suffer.
The Pfizer vaccine is expected to be vaccinated on Day 1 of next month to 3.15 million people aged 75 and over. First, vaccination begins at the end of March, starting with 1 million doses (for 500,000 people). However, there are concerns about a pullback, as there will be difficulties in securing the 3.25 million lots scheduled for June.
Eun-mi Cheon, professor of respiratory medicine at Ewha Women’s University Mokdong Hospital, said: “The introduction of AZ Kovacs is likely to be delayed considerably as India blocks overseas supply.” “We don’t know what will happen to NovaVax, Modena Vaccines and Janssen. It looks like it will be difficult to reach 2 million to 3 million people from April to June.”
Professor Chun noted: “When the vaccination started, the quarantine has been loosened, but since full vaccination can take place only in the third trimester, we must re-tighten the quarantine reins.”
Reporter Woorim Lee [email protected]
[ad_2]
