S. Korea signs contract with Pfizer to buy 30m COVID-19 vaccine doses

South Korea has signed a contract with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to purchase 30 million doses of the drugmaker’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in 2022, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Friday.

The deal is part of Seoul’s plan to procure 50 million vaccine booster shots for the country’s population of 52 million, according to KDCA Director Jeong Eun-kyeong.

Pfizer’s first batch will ship out in the first quarter of next year, the KDCA added.

Under the contract, the Korean government can buy another 30 million doses from Pfizer if needed, the KDCA said.

The ministry said it will decide whether to purchase additional doses in the future.

The government has received 17.8 million doses of the 66 million pledged from Pfizer so far, data showed.


By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)