SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea said on Monday it would not use AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine in people 65 and older, reversing an earlier decision and reducing initial vaccination targets due to delays in global system shipments of COVAX vaccine sharing.
South Korea had said it would complete vaccinations against 1.3 million people in the first quarter of this year with AstraZeneca shots, but drastically reduced the target to 750,000.
The decision is largely due to adjustments to the timing of the supply of COVAX’s 2.6 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said Monday.
He did not mention any production problems in Europe due to the delayed schedule, which he submitted to COVAX’s administrative processes, and reiterated that his plan to achieve herd immunity in November remained tactical.
“We do not believe the inoculation adjustments in February and March will affect our herd immunity target in November,” KDCA director Jeong Eun-kyeong said in a briefing.
South Korea also reversed its previous plan on the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine and said it would delay the inoculation of the elderly by shooting until more efficacy data are available.
South Korean authorities said last week they would grant their first approval for a coronavirus vaccine to AstraZeneca and allow its use in the elderly, despite warnings from advisory panels about the lack of data on its effectiveness. in elderly patients.
Several European countries have warned that taking AstraZeneca / Oxford University should only be given to those aged 18 to 64, but the company has said it causes a good immune response in the elderly.
South Korea’s first vaccinations will begin on February 26, with health workers and vulnerable residents, including the elderly, first in line.
Reports by Sangmi Cha and Josh Smith; Edited by Miyoung Kim and Alex Richardson