Pyongyang has been unusually candid in its media coverage of the outbreak, which may be intended to invite international aid, said Ahn Kyung-su of DPRKHealth.org, a Seoul-based network and website which monitors public health information from the North.
“I think North Korea wants to receive support for COVID pills such as Paxlovid, rather than vaccines from international organizations including the United States,” Ahn told UPI. “This is because drugs are much simpler in terms of transportation, distribution and management than vaccines.”
“Even if vaccines are imported from outside, it seems very late considering the transportation and distribution process, the time required for medical personnel training, and the time it takes for vaccines to be effective after inoculation,” he added.
DPRKHEALTH.ORG 통일의료연구센터 