SHORTAGE OF VACCINATIONS

[Anchor Lead]

First doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been suspended in Korea due to shortages. AstraZeneca vaccine vials are also in short supply with only two days' worth of vaccines left in Korea. But health authorities deny there are problems in vaccine supply. Vaccination plans will be announced Monday.

[Pkg]

So far Korea has imported two million six thousand doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Since the vaccination campaign began on February 26, one million 829 thousand people received the vaccine as of Saturday. About 176 thousand doses are left. Given the recent pace of vaccinations, they will run out in just two days. Administration of second doses is to begin on May 14. Concerns are rising that vaccinations could be put on hold unless more doses are brought in soon. The government is to announce the remaining amount of vaccine doses and second-quarter vaccination plans on Monday.

[Soundbite] Sohn Young-rae(Central Disaster Management HQs) : "The AstraZeneca vaccine was first brought to the country en masse in time for mass inoculations. More vials are to be brought in later. Slight deviations from the vaccination plan are inevitable."

Regarding the suspension of the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine, the government says it's temporarily adjusting the pace of vaccinations to ensure that second doses are provided as planned. The government stressed that it's been trying to provide the first shot to as many people as possible to help high-risk groups achieve immunity quickly.

[Soundbite] Hong Nam-ki(Acting Prime Minister) : "We are trying to provide first doses to as many people as possible to protect senior　groups. We plan to provide second doses using additional vaccine supply later."

Experts point out that to gain public trust in COVID-19 vaccines, the government must disclose in detail when additional doses will arrive and how inoculation will be carried out.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-gap(Prof., Hallym Univ.) : "A temporary decrease in the number of those who receive their first dose is　inevitable at this point. Transparent information disclosure is needed to minimize confusion and anxiety."

So far, some 3.4 million people in Korea, or 6.6 percent of the country's population, have received their first shots. Meanwhile, a nursing facility worker in her 50s died six days after receiving a shot on April 24. Authorities are investigating the cause of death.