S.Korea begins COVID-19 vaccination for chip, electronics workers

LG DISPLAY

27/07/2021 05:38

By Sangmi Cha
    SEOUL, July 27 (Reuters) - South Korea on Tuesday launched
COVID-19 vaccinations for workers at key computer chip and
electronic businesses to minimise disruptions in the global
supply chain amid struggles to keep up with its inoculation
schedule.
    Major tech companies including Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
 005930.KS , Samsung Display Co, SK Hynix Inc  000660.KS  and LG
Display Co Ltd  034220.KS  and their suppliers began in-house
vaccination for their employees on Tuesday, the companies'
spokesmen told Reuters.
    The government approved the companies' internal vaccination
plans last month. The vaccination program will target over
303,000 workers in about 40 companies with in-house clinics, the
Yonhap News Agency reported.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2NS00B  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N2OB0IM
    The move occurs amid a global chip shortage that has
affected manufacturers around the world, particularly
automakers. Samsung and SK Hynix are the world's top two memory
chip makers.
    Samsung, SK Hynix and LG Display said they are vaccinating
their workers with the Pfizer  PFE.N /BioNTech  BNTX.O  shot.
    Samsung and its affiliates had initially planned to offer
Moderna vaccines. However, Yonhap reported that the plan is now
to offer Pfizer/BioNTech after supply and shipment issues. 
    South Korea said on Monday that Moderna  MRNA.O  informed
the government of an unspecified vaccine production issue and
consultations are being held to figure out details.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2P20FA
    "Moderna has notified there'll be adjustments in supply
schedule due to a production issue and we're in discussion with
them to confirm detailed plan for delivery and volume," Prime
Minister Kim Boo-kyum said on Tuesday.
    South Korea, which expanded its inoculation campaign for
people in their 50s on Monday, had to switch to the Pfizer
vaccine for some people in the group because of the shipment
delays.
    The country has a contract for 40 million doses of the
Moderna vaccine, of which about 1.1 million have arrived so far.
    The specific production issue was not immediately clear and
it was not certain how much supply was affected and for how long
or whether other countries will be impacted. 
    Moderna did not reply to a Reuters' request for comment.
    South Korea reported 1,365 coronavirus cases for Monday.
Total infections across the country of 52 million people are at
191,531 cases and 2,079 deaths, official data showed.
    It has inoculated nearly 34% of its 52 million population
with at least one dose and 13.5% are fully vaccinated.

 (Reporting by Sangmi Cha, additional reporting by Minwoo Park;
Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
 ((sangmi.cha@thomsonreuters.com;))