Janssen’s Covid-19 vaccine recipients reported the largest number of Covid-19 breakthrough infections among the fully vaccinated, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said in a regular briefing on Tuesday.

A Covid-19 breakthrough infection refers to a Covid-19 case in a person two weeks after receiving the full-dose vaccine and developing immunity against the virus.

The KDCA said 779 out of 5,543,933 vaccinated people in Korea, or 14.1 per 100,000, are estimated to have had breakthrough infections as of Thursday.

Covid-19 breakthrough infections appeared most in Janssen vaccine recipients in Korea, the health authorities said.
Covid-19 breakthrough infections appeared most in Janssen vaccine recipients in Korea, the health authorities said.

By type of vaccine, 16.9 per 100,000 people given the AstraZeneca vaccine had breakthrough infections, 5 per 100,000 with the Pfizer vaccine, 38.5 per 100,000 with the Janssen vaccine, and 0.7 per 100,000 with cross vaccination with the first dose of the AZ vaccine and the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Among 226 breakthrough infection cases, 72 were infected with major variants – 17 with the Alpha, one with the Beta, and 54 with the Delta.

Among patients with breakthrough infections, five people or 0.6 percent were seriously ill. One was 30-something, one, 50-something, and three in their 80s. There was no death.

“Breakthrough infections can occur in all Covid-19 vaccines. But the incidence of breakthrough infections in Korea is significantly low, and a fully vaccinated person has a lower chance of progressing into severe disease and death,” the KDCA said. “Thus, the benefit of vaccination is still greater than the risk.”

The KDCA said that 2.67 million doses of Pfizer vaccine would arrive in the Incheon International Airport on Wednesday.

The arrival of additional vaccines will complete the July target of 6.75 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine. In August, additional Pfizer vaccines will come to Korea consecutively, the authorities said.

Also, the health authorities plan to provide 101,000 doses of the Janssen vaccine from Thursday.

The KDCA said Moderna had to delay Moderna vaccine shipments, originally scheduled for late July, due to supply problems. The KDCA and the company discussed a detailed schedule, the authorities said.

Moderna said the delayed vaccine shipments would arrive in August in Korea.

“Regarding the monthly volume for July, we will continue to consult with the pharmaceutical company to confirm the supply schedule and disclose it promptly,” the KDCA said. “The supply for August comes from a different manufacturing site than those for July. So, it will be provided as scheduled.”

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