Vaccinations against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) will begin on the 15th of next month for seniors age 75 and older.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on the 15th that people age 75 and older or those who are immunocompromised will be vaccinated starting on the 15th of next month, those age 70 to 74 on the 20th, and those age 65 to 69 starting on the 22nd, in stages. The vaccination campaign will run through Apr. 30 next year.
High-risk groups, such as adults age 65 and older and people who are immunocompromised, will be vaccinated free of charge. Members of the general public who are not high risk must pay the vaccination expense. Usually one dose is sufficient, but immunocompromised children under 12 need one to two doses.
Vaccinations are available at designated medical institutions and public health centers nationwide. Designated sites can be found on the "Vaccination Helper" website. An ID is required to receive a shot.
This round will deploy 5.3 million doses (dose, single-dose units) of a vaccine targeting the LP.8.1 variant. Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended using LP.8.1-lineage vaccines for this COVID-19 vaccination.
Following advice from overseas health agencies, the agency decided to introduce an LP.8.1-lineage vaccine, which showed a higher neutralizing antibody response than the JN.1 lineage used last year. The agency said this vaccine has a 40% to 50% effectiveness against COVID-19. However, effectiveness varies by individual immunity.
The agency said, "Seniors age 65 and older are eligible for both COVID-19 and influenza (flu) vaccinations," and noted, "We recommend coadministration to get through this winter safely."