The Korea International Cooperation Agency’s (KOICA) COVID-19 Information Hub features weekly editorials from field experts who analyze and comment on a range of COVID-19-related topics, including vaccine science and the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic. In his contribution, Dr. Daniel Chulwoo Rhee, M.D., Research Scientist at IVI, covers the road to achieving herd immunity in South Korea:

Safe and Fast Path to Herd Immunity; Consideration for Korea’s Contribution for Global Community

by Daniel Chulwoo Rhee, M.D.

It has been more than a year since the first reported case of COVID-19 [1]. Yet the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues, sustained by chains of transmission and crisscrossing international borders, without an end in a near sight. As of March 6^th, 2021, COVID-19 has been responsible for more than two million deaths, and over 115 million infections worldwide [2]. The COVID-19 pandemic has been causing immeasurable disruption of lives, dislocation of societies and economies on a global scale [3]. Determined to end the COVID-19 pandemic, governments, academies, international organizations, and vaccine manufacturers are continuing the race for vaccine development and large-scale manufacturing. Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance has suggested three “Vs” are imperative to put an end to this pandemic, vaccines, vaccinators, and vaccinees [4]. Since the Republic of Korea, the host to the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), has implemented various strategies to effectively address three “Vs”, experiences and lessons learned in Korea are summarized in this article.