S. KOREA SIGNS MORE COVID-19 DEALS

[Anchor Lead]

Korea has struck a deal to import enough COVID-19 vaccines for an additional 23 million people, bringing the total number of doses brought into the country to 158 million. The extra shots are six million doses of Pfizer vaccines and 40 million of Novavax ones, enough for 23 million people.

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​The government has secured Pfizer vaccines for 3 million more people. In addition to last year's deal, there are now enough Pfizer shots for 13 million people in the country. Vaccine distribution will also be pushed forward from the third quarter to the end of next month.

[Soundbite] Chung Sye-kyun(Prime Minister) : "Uncertainties of vaccine availability in the first half of the year are growing as global pharmaceutical companies are having production troubles and countries a compete fiercely to secure doses."

The drug safety ministry is currently reviewing the Pfizer vaccine. Once it's approved, the shots will be administered some time in April.

[Soundbite] Jeong Gyeong-sil(COVID-19 Vaccination Response Team) : "The vaccination plan will be altered if shots are to be administered in March. If vaccination starts in April, it will be included in the vaccination plan to be announced after April."

The government also finalized a pre-purchase agreement with Novavax for doses enough for 20 million people. The shots will all be produced locally and will be available for inoculation in the second quarter. Korea now has finalized deals for 158 million doses, enough for 79 million people. The timeline for the first shipments of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines have been confirmed. The AstraZeneca shots for 750,000 people will be supplied starting February 24th and the first shot will be administered two days later. One million doses of Pfizer vaccine will be delivered to Korea at the end of next month, followed by an additional six million doses some time in the second quarter. Meanwhile, Korea plans to receive about 120,000 Pfizer shots through Covax Facility as early as the end of this month, but authorities are still working out the details.