North Korea has rejected planned shipments of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine that were being organised under the global Covax distribution scheme due to concerns over side effects, a South Korean think-tank said on Friday (July 9).
Covax has said it would provide nearly two million doses of AstraZeneca’s shots to North Korea. The first batch had been expected in late May but was delayed amid protracted consultations.
North Korea has not reported any Covid-19 cases, a position questioned by South Korean and US officials. The reclusive country has, however, imposed strict anti-virus measures, including border closures and domestic travel curbs.
According to the report by the Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS). Which is affiliated with South Korea’s spy agency, Pyongyang is now looking at other vaccine options.
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation alliance, one of the organizations that co-leads Covax, did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.
The INSS report said North Korea isn’t keen on Chinese vaccines due to concerns they may not be that effective. But it has shown interest in shots made in Russia, hoping they would be donated free of charge.
It’s leaning towards the Russian vaccine, yet no arrangements have been made.” Mr. Lee Sang-keun, director of strategic research on the Korean peninsula at INSS, told Reuters, citing unnamed sources.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow has offered Pyongyang vaccines on a number of occasions.
Mr. Lee added that North Korean authorities had become concerned about the AstraZeneca vaccine after reports of rare but serious blood clotting events among some people who received it.