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Moderna vaccine, which was scheduled to be introduced at the end of this month, is expected to be supplied next month. Depending on the supply and demand of vaccines, there may be confusion in the vaccination schedule. In August, the government announced that it will proceed with vaccinations for those in their 50s as well as those aged 18 to 49 as scheduled.
Medical reporter Yoo Seung-hyun reports.
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is Hyundai Motor Research Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do.
Employees and subcontractors received Pfizer vaccines from in-house medical staff.
The target of self-vaccination at workplaces, which started today (27th), is 43 in Korea and about 303,000 people.
Most of the 50's vaccines have also been switched from Moderna to Pfizer.
This is due to supply disruptions in Moderna vaccines.
The government said on the 23rd that Moderna had been told that "the vaccine for Korea, which will leave on the 25th, could not be loaded on the ship," and that "the amount in July will be supplied in August."
[Jung Eun-young / Director General of Vaccine Introduction of the Ministry of Health and Welfare: (From Moderna) I heard that it is a manufacturing process problem and that the problem is being investigated. We are requesting data that can specifically describe a problem in the manufacturing process... .]
Many of Moderna's vaccines are produced in Switzerland and bottled in Spain.
The government explained that there will be no problems with the introduction of the Moderna vaccine, which will be introduced in August, because it is produced in non-European countries.
Without knowing the exact cause of the continuous supply delay, he only emphasized that "the contract with Moderna specifies that 40 million doses will be introduced within the year."
The timing of consignment production of some of Moderna vaccines in Korea is also being delayed.
As the prototype is expected to be released in late August or early September, the actual inoculation may be delayed.
The Novavax vaccine, which is scheduled to be introduced in 40 million doses, has not even started the domestic and international approval process.
Quarantine authorities are confident that there will be no problems until vaccinations in their 50s and 18-49 years of age if vaccines such as Pfizer, Janssen, and Moderna arrive as scheduled after August.
(Video coverage: Kim Min-cheol, video editing: Park Ji-in, CG: Kim Ye-in, Jang Seong-beom)