In 2019, COVID-19 first broke out in Wuhan, China. COVID-19 is a respiratory tract infection. Because of its speedy diffusion that people never had experienced before, the whole world was put on emergency. Last year, South Korea became a leading country with Korea-Quarantine. South Korea transparently presented the number of coronic patients and monitored them. The fame of the K-Quarantine was meaningless because, in 2021, the number of coronic patients is rarely reduced under 400. During the continuous COVID-19 pandemic, a vaccine was finally made.

South Korea started a COVID-19 vaccination on the 26th of February. It took one year and 37 days to make it after the first confirmation in South Korea. South Korea is the last country to start vaccination among OECD countries. Although the vaccination is late, President Moon Jae-in is proud of "the Korea-Quarantine". Why does he feel proud of it?

▲ COVID-19 vaccination

▲ Contrast in dead space

It is because South Korea has contracted to get low dead space (LDS) syringes. LDS syringes mean specifically produced syringes to minimize wasted vaccine in them. It is possible to make it by reducing space between the needle and the piston. Because of its benefit, it can save vaccines. For instance, a Pfizer vial with ordinary syringes counts toward five doses. However, the one with LDS syringes will count as six.

The gap will be too big when it comes to country size. Japan has secured vaccines for 72 million people, but it wastes vaccines to inoculate 12 million people in this way. Otherwise, South Korea has contracted with Poonglim Pharmatech, who first developed the LDS syringes and was approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Poonglim Pharmatech rises suddenly all around the world, and their monthly output is doubled. Furthermore, prime minister Jeong Sye-gyun said that Poonglim Pharmatech is outstanding in quality. Now, the Poonglim Pharmatech collaborates with Samsung Electronics to make the best LDS syringes.

▲ Left side is an ordinary syringe, right side is a LDS syringe

March 13th, 2021

By Jiho Kim