<Anchor> The
government announced yesterday (23rd) that it has signed vaccine purchase contracts with two global pharmaceutical companies, Janssen and Pfizer.
Janssen's 6 million people will be vaccinated in the second quarter of next year, and Pfizer's 10 million people will be vaccinated in the third quarter of next year.
The first news, reporter Kim A-young will deliver.
<Reporter>
Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun announced that the government signed a vaccine purchase contract yesterday at the Corona 19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting this morning.
[Sae-Kyun Jeong/Prime Minister: In giving reports to the public that a global pharmaceutical company Janssen and Pfizer have signed a COVID-19 vaccine purchase contract...
.]
Janssen's Corona 19 vaccine was contracted for 6 million people, an increase of 2 million people from the original planned volume, and the vaccination is expected to start in the second quarter of next year.
In the case of Pfizer vaccine, he explained that it has contracted 10 million people, and is expected to enter Korea from the third quarter of next year.
Prime Minister Chung said that specific negotiations are underway to advance the introduction of the Pfizer vaccine to within two quarters, and that national capabilities are being mobilized.
He also stated that vaccination has begun in various countries, including the UK and the US, and that he will look at both safety and effectiveness.
[Sae-Gyun Jeong/Prime Minister: (The government) will look closely to see if the vaccines vaccinated first are actually safe and effective enough, so that (our people) can receive the vaccinations as quickly and safely as possible...
.]
From today, the day before Christmas, special measures to strengthen quarantine during the year-end and New Year are being applied, and Prime Minister Chung appealed to the public to join the 11-day pause.