Seoul may consider purchasing Sputnik V, other vaccines due to new coronavirus strains

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said that the South Korean government would likely to consider buying Russia's Sputnik V and other coronavirus vaccines to curb the spread of new virus variants and forestall delays in deliveries of already contracted vaccines.

"Regarding the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, given the uncertainty surrounding supply problems and modified virus strains, we plan to continue to consider the need for additional vaccine procurement... This means that we are considering all available vaccines as candidates," KDCA head Jeong Eun-Kyeong said at a briefing.

The official also noted that Seoul was negotiating an additional purchase of some 20 million doses of US-made Novavax vaccine.

The issue arose after data emerged showing the AstraZeneca vaccine, which had been advised for deployment in South Korea by the national pharmaceutical panel, provided only minimal protection against the South African coronavirus strain.

The vaccine rollout in South Korea is due to begin in February. According to Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, AstraZeneca shipments for 2.19 million people will arrive in the first half of 2021.

This year, the country hopes to receive a total of 106 million doses from various manufacturers enough to vaccinate it's 51.3 million people. (/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )

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