The plan to introduce 30 million doses of Pfizer vaccine proposed by a medical group in Daegu and the municipal government has ended as much ado about nothing in just three days.
"The central government has concluded not to proceed with Daegu City's Pfizer vaccine purchase proposal due to reliability issues," Ministry of Health and Welfare Spokesperson Son Young-rae said during a briefing on Thursday. “We have often received similar proposals from third parties, not drugmakers, to supply vaccines. The latest one also should have ended as just an incident but received unnecessary spotlight because it was made public.”
Son added that Pfizer has made it clear that it only supplies the vaccine to central governments in each country and international health organizations. The U.S. company also said it would take legal action, saying that the authenticity of the vaccine is questionable.
On Tuesday, Daegu officials delivered a proposal between Medi-City Daegu Council and a foreign trading company to supply 30 million Pfizer vaccines to the central government within three weeks. Faced with Pfizer’s official response, municipal officials backed off, saying they just provided moral support to the medical group.
Some Daegu citizens directed anger and disappointment to Mayor Kwon Young-jin for his reckless behavior.
The southeastern city has seen a surge in virus cases by confirming the largest number of new virus cases outside of the Seoul metro region in the past few days. Faced with the resurge of infections, the city increased its social distancing scheme back to Level 2 – the third-highest in the five-tier system -- on Friday.
Despite officials’ attempt to distance them from the abortive deal, some citizens posted a petition on the Cheong Wa Dae website demanding that Mayor Kwon make an official apology.
Kwon, who had continuously criticized the government's vaccine policy, expressed his confidence to import more vaccines by successfully concluding the deal after the local media outlets first reported the news.
A petitioner said, "I can't live in Daegu anymore because I am so embarrassed. The mayor received a call from a trading company and said that he would arrange the purchase of a Pfizer vaccine to the central government."
Mayor Kwon acted for his political ambition by committing a senseless thing, the petitioner added.
"Vaccines are not something that could be ordered online from overseas," another petitioner said. "Kwon is now trying to distance himself from the matter after taking the lead in making the matter public."
Former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, who previously led the country's vaccine procurement, also criticized Daegu City.
Chung called the city government's move unilateral, which could adversely influence the country's ongoing efforts to secure vaccines stably.
"The autonomous actions of local governments can put the national bargaining power in securing more vaccines at a disadvantage through internal competition," Chung wrote on his Facebook page. "In addition, uncertain information can increase confusion about the availability of vaccines to the public."
Daegu has been the political stronghold of the conservative opposition People Power Party, called by some political commentators as the “bastion of anti-Moon (Jae-in) faction.”