Moderna to cut COVID-19 vaccine delivery to South Korea in August by half – Reports

Moscow : US pharmaceutical and biotechnology company Moderna informed South Korea on Monday that it would supply the country with only half of the 8.5 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine scheduled for August, Yonhap news reported, citing the South Korean health authorities.

The delay came as South Korea plans to administer the first dose to 70% of its population of 52 million by September to achieve herd immunity by November.

“Despite the change in Moderna’s supply plan, we think there will be no major problems in giving the first shot to 70 percent of the population by end-September and completing the inoculation by November,” Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency First Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong was quoted as saying.

South Korea has a contract to buy 40 million doses from Moderna, with about 2.4 million having arrived so far, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

This is not the first time Moderna has had to postpone vaccine deliveries to South Korea. Supplies that were supposed to arrive in late July have been postponed to August.

The government has announced that it would file a complaint against Moderna for the delay.

The country, which is grappling with the fourth wave of the pandemic, with daily virus cases topping 1,000 for more than a month, has seen its vaccination campaign stalled by shortages and shipment delays.

Since the country’s campaign began on February 26, only 15% of the population has been fully vaccinated, with an estimated 40.8% having received the first dose.

UNI/SPUTNIK