SEOUL (SOUTH KOREA) – South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s office issued a statement on Wednesday, saying the country might procure additional coronavirus shots for 20 million people from US-based pharmaceutical firm Novavax Inc.
Last year, the US-based pharma firm struck a development and supply deal with South Korea’s SK bioscience Co.
The president visited SK bioscience’s work site on Wednesday and said that the pact between both companies “raised the possibility of securing vaccines for an additional 20 million people”, as per the statement.
This lot is in addition to the vaccines that the government has secured so far. South Korea has secured 106 million doses for 56 million people, which is more than the 52 million population, said Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) director Jeong Eun-kyeong earlier this month.
However, lingering uncertainties about vaccination have forced the authorities to secure additional doses, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said last week.