South Korea says it has secured the government-procured influenza vaccine needed for the 2026-27 national vaccination program and is adjusting deliveries after one supplier's initial shipment was delayed, seeking to prevent shortages for high-risk groups.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said the government has about 12.33 million doses for the national program, which covers people aged 65 and older, children from six months through age 14, and pregnant women. An additional roughly 2 million pediatric doses are supplied through a reimbursement system in which clinics purchase vaccine directly.
A delayed shipment was replaced
Concern arose after Sanofi was expected to be late delivering 500,000 doses. KDCA says it replaced that portion of the government procurement with GC Biopharma product, leaving the national-program total unchanged. The Sanofi doses originally intended for government delivery are instead expected to be available for private vaccination.
The agency also said manufacturers and importers agreed to supply another 370,000 doses for the private market. For the national program, children's and pregnant women's vaccine is due to reach providers before vaccination begins on September 21, while doses for older adults are due before their program starts on October 6.
Local distribution is the remaining pressure point
Distribution remains the operational risk. KDCA says it planned 12 rounds of redistribution during the season to address imbalances between regions and medical institutions, using demand and inventory data to move government-procured vaccine where needed.
The immediate test is whether scheduled deliveries arrive before the two start dates and whether local shortages emerge despite the national stock total. KDCA says it will continue monitoring supply and coordinating with manufacturers and importers as the season begins.