South Korean health authorities say the government is continuously talking with global developers of COVID-19 vaccines to introduce vaccines to the South Korean public earlier than targeted amid a growing outbreak of the virus. 

Yang Dong-gyo, a senior official at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA), revealed the efforts in a regular media briefing on Thursday, while explaining the government’s announcement earlier in the day that it has signed deals to purchase COVID-19 vaccines from Janssen and Pfizer.

Asked when vaccines will arrive in the country, Yang said vaccines from AstraZeneca, which reached an earlier deal with South Korea, are scheduled to arrive first sometime in the first quarter of next year, followed by ones from Janssen in the second and Pfizer in the third. 

However, he said even after signing the deals, the government has been in continuous discussion with the pharmaceutical firms to move up the schedule.

As to when South Koreans will begin getting shots, Yang declined to comment in detail, but said inoculation plans that take into account date of supply and vaccine characteristics and efficacy are being drawn up, adding that the goal is to complete inoculations by the end of next year.