COVID-19 Game Changer 'Vaccine' Vaccinations Begin in Gwangju from the 26th

Sequential Vaccination for High-Risk Medical Institutions Including Nursing and Psychiatric Hospitals

Goal of Over 70% Community Immunity by November

On the afternoon of the 25th, the COVID-19 vaccines scheduled for administration starting on the 26th arrived at the Seo-gu Public Health Center in Gwangju Metropolitan City, where medical staff inspected them before refrigeration.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Vaccination, expected to be a 'game changer' for COVID-19 that has changed daily life for over a year, is starting in Gwangju as well.

According to Gwangju Metropolitan City on the 25th, the first COVID-19 vaccinations will begin on the 26th at nursing and psychiatric hospitals.

A total of 8,822 people under 65 years old at 65 locations are the first vaccination targets, and vaccinations will be conducted through medical institutions' own vaccinations, facility visit vaccinations, and health center visits.

The second dose is scheduled for April to May. The targets are 2,134 people at 83 locations including nursing and psychiatric care facilities and psychiatric rehabilitation facilities, also under 65 years old inpatients, residents, and workers.

Additionally, from March to May, vaccinations are planned for 14,415 workers at 106 high-risk medical institutions (2 tertiary general hospitals, 21 general hospitals, 83 hospitals), as well as first responders to COVID-19 such as 119 ambulance teams, epidemiological investigators, quarantine personnel, specimen collection, testing, transport, and laboratory staff.

All vaccinations will use the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Vaccinations for 5,295 workers at 21 COVID-19 treatment hospitals in the Honam region, scheduled for March, will use the Pfizer vaccine.

The second quarter vaccination plan is flexible depending on vaccine supply and quantity. Initially, 8,665 people at elderly home welfare facilities and 1,760 people at facilities for disabled residents and users are expected to be vaccinated. In the second quarter, vaccinations will also begin for 205,666 people aged 65 and older, and 9,468 medical personnel excluded from the first quarter target will also be vaccinated.

In the second half of the year, vaccinations will proceed sequentially according to the vaccination order, followed by nationwide vaccination.

Gwangju City aims to achieve herd immunity by completing vaccinations for 70% of the city’s population, excluding those under 18 years old who are not eligible for vaccination.

Meanwhile, the vaccines scheduled to start on the 26th arrived in Gwangju without major issues on this day. It has been 388 days since the first confirmed case in Gwangju on February 3 of last year.

Under the escort of the military and police, vaccines were sequentially delivered throughout the day to health centers in five autonomous districts of Gwangju and nursing hospitals.

The first batch of vaccines that arrived on this day is enough for 3,200 people. On the 26th, 11,000 doses of AstraZeneca will be supplied to 60 nursing hospitals, and Pfizer vaccines are also expected to arrive.