Vaccination for Ages 19 and Over Starting Mid-February... 1,105 Medical and Administrative Staff, Firefighters, and Police Deployed
Ahead of the COVID-19 vaccination starting in February, on January 26, officials are monitoring the temperature maintenance and security status of the ultra-low temperature storage for COVID-19 vaccines at the Korea Cryogenic Logistics Center Integrated Control Center located in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Dong-wook] Gyeongbuk Province announced on the 27th that by mid-February, vaccination centers for COVID-19 prevention will be established in 23 cities and counties (one center per city/county, two centers in Pohang), and 1,000 entrusted medical institutions will be operated.
The vaccination target is set at 2.27 million people aged 19 and over (1.9 million prioritized for vaccination), which is about 86% of the population of 2,639,422 as of the end of 2020.
The priority vaccination groups include high-risk groups for infectious diseases such as elderly people aged 65 and over, medical institution workers, residents and workers of group facilities, and COVID-19 response personnel.
Vaccinations will be carried out from February to November according to the government-designated vaccination priority. In the first quarter, residents of nursing hospitals and elderly medical welfare facilities, as well as workers in high-risk medical institutions, are prioritized for vaccination.
In the second quarter, residents aged 65 and over and workers in medical institutions and home-based elderly welfare facilities will be vaccinated; in the third quarter, chronic disease patients and adults aged 19 to 64; and in the fourth quarter, second-dose recipients and unvaccinated individuals will be vaccinated in order.
At vaccination centers, mRNA vaccines (manufactured by U.S. pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna) will be administered, while entrusted medical institutions will administer viral vector vaccines (AstraZeneca and Janssen).
A total of 1,105 medical and administrative personnel will be deployed at vaccination centers, and the provincial medical association and nursing association will participate in securing additional medical staff. To alleviate transportation inconveniences and improve accessibility during the vaccination period, measures such as shuttle bus operations and adding vaccination centers as stops on city bus routes will be implemented.
Safety management after vaccination will also be strengthened. Designated public officials for each town, township, and neighborhood will conduct additional monitoring after individuals return home. A 'Public-Private Joint Rapid Response Team' composed of medical experts with extensive vaccination experience, such as doctors and epidemiologists, will be operated to promptly respond to severe adverse reactions.
Kim Jin-hyun, Director of the Welfare and Health Bureau of Gyeongbuk Province, stated, "In line with the government's COVID-19 vaccination implementation plan to be announced on the 28th, we will thoroughly secure vaccines and manage target groups, and actively strive to ensure that vaccinations are carried out quickly and transparently for the residents."
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