COVID-19 cases are on the rise...KCDA signs contract to procure 5.3 million doses of vaccine for 2025-2026 season
Aug 05, 2025
While the number of COVID-19 patients is on the rise, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has signed a procurement purchase contract to supply vaccines for the COVID-19 vaccination project during the 2025-2026 season.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's sample monitoring of hospital-level medical institutions, the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients is gradually increasing every week from 63 in the 26th week of this year, the end of June, to 139 in the 30th week (July 20-26).
Unlike the pre-purchase contract with each pharmaceutical company with full state funds between 2020 and 2024, the COVID-19 vaccine was changed to a local government subsidiary project (local cost matching) in the same way as the existing national vaccination system and signed a contract with a government procurement purchase method.
The COVID-19 vaccine supplied to Korea from 2025 to 2026 is an LP.8.1 strain vaccine recommended by the WHO (World Health Organization), EMA (European Medicines Agency), and FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) in May, and was decided by the resolution of the vaccination committee in June.
Vaccine procurement volumes totaled 5.3 million doses (3.28 million doses in Pfizer and 2.02 million doses in Moderna), each of which was signed through a domestic COVID-19 vaccine distributor (exclusive sales authority).
In particular, a private contract method rather than a competitive bid was applied for the stable supply of COVID-19 vaccines in Korea, but based on a local government demand survey, price competition factors and reserve volume (5%) were added to stabilize vaccine supply and reduce budget. In addition, in order to minimize the disposal of the vaccine, vaccines that expire during the business period can be used continuously during the vaccination period through exchange, and the remaining vaccines after the business is completed can be returned (within 5% of the contract volume).
Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Lim Seung-kwan said, `As there are many changes in the procurement contract method of COVID-19 vaccines from this year and procurement companies are in charge of distribution, we will thoroughly prepare to ensure that there is no disruption in vaccine supply"We will conduct more thorough on-site inspections for safe storage and distribution of vaccines."," he said.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's sample monitoring of hospital-level medical institutions, the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients is gradually increasing every week from 63 in the 26th week of this year, the end of June, to 139 in the 30th week (July 20-26).
Unlike the pre-purchase contract with each pharmaceutical company with full state funds between 2020 and 2024, the COVID-19 vaccine was changed to a local government subsidiary project (local cost matching) in the same way as the existing national vaccination system and signed a contract with a government procurement purchase method.
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Vaccine procurement volumes totaled 5.3 million doses (3.28 million doses in Pfizer and 2.02 million doses in Moderna), each of which was signed through a domestic COVID-19 vaccine distributor (exclusive sales authority).
In particular, a private contract method rather than a competitive bid was applied for the stable supply of COVID-19 vaccines in Korea, but based on a local government demand survey, price competition factors and reserve volume (5%) were added to stabilize vaccine supply and reduce budget. In addition, in order to minimize the disposal of the vaccine, vaccines that expire during the business period can be used continuously during the vaccination period through exchange, and the remaining vaccines after the business is completed can be returned (within 5% of the contract volume).
Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Lim Seung-kwan said, `As there are many changes in the procurement contract method of COVID-19 vaccines from this year and procurement companies are in charge of distribution, we will thoroughly prepare to ensure that there is no disruption in vaccine supply"We will conduct more thorough on-site inspections for safe storage and distribution of vaccines."," he said.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
