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As expectations of the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine are growing, many people are wondering how much we have secured this vaccine.

Authorities say they are negotiating with individual pharmaceutical companies at the end of the day and will secure as many vaccines as possible, even if the money given in advance cannot be returned.



Reporter Nam Joo-hyun.



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British Independent reported today (12th) that 82% of the COVID-19 vaccine Pfizer will produce by next year has already been sold to rich countries.



It has secured up to 600 million units in the United States, up to 300 million units in the EU, and 120 million units in Japan, and the amount secured by the United Kingdom, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand amounts to 82% of the expected production.



If you add the vaccines secured by Peru, Chile and Costa Rica, you have 17%, or about 230 million doses.



There is no contract amount for Korea yet.



It is predicted that some of the remaining vaccines will be supplied to underdeveloped countries through joint purchase of vaccines and an international project, CoVax Facility, and the war for securing global vaccines is expected to intensify.



Korea previously secured some vaccines through the vaccine purchase international project, but this is only an amount that could fit 20% of our people, or about 10 million people next year.



According to the authorities' goal, the individual pharmaceutical companies should negotiate to secure 20 million more vaccines by the end of this year, but the health authorities said they are in the process of pre-purchase negotiations today and that the negotiations have come to an end.



[Kwon Jun-wook/President of the National Institute of Health: Even if there is a limit to giving up the advance payment, it is enough, and we will secure and purchase as much as possible.

First of all, we aim to secure 60% of the total population within this year...

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Pfizer vaccines should be maintained at -70 degrees Celsius for long-term storage, so it is predicted that they will be supplied from countries equipped with a refrigerated distribution system. With the development of storage containers, it seems that there will be no problems with worldwide supply.



(Video coverage: Kim Tae-hoon, video editing: Lee Seung-yeol)