Reservation Rate 58% for Vaccination Targets Aged 60-74
Incentives to Increase Vaccination Rate by the 3rd of Next Month
When Two Grandparents Are Vaccinated, Family Gatherings of 10 People Allowed
Small Group Activities Like Singing Classes for Vaccinated Individuals Permitted
Priority Vaccination Expanded for Essential Workers
On the 26th, when the government announced plans to provide 'vaccine recipient incentives' to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates, elderly people were receiving COVID-19 vaccinations at the vaccination center in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul. People who have completed their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be exempt from the immediate family gathering size limit (currently 8 people) starting from the 1st of next month. From July, they will be allowed to remove masks outdoors in parks and hiking trails, and will be exempt from the set capacity limits for indoor and outdoor multi-use facilities such as restaurants, cafes, wedding halls, religious institutions, and private gatherings. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
[Asia Economy reporters Seo So-jeong, Moon Chae-seok, Kim Ji-hee] The government’s bold incentive to allow people to remove masks outdoors starting in July with just the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is a measure aimed at rapidly increasing the low vaccination rate.
According to the government on the 26th, among the 9,110,028 eligible individuals aged 60 to 74, 5,302,781 have made vaccination reservations, showing a reservation rate of 58.2%. The reservation rates by age group are 67.7% for ages 70-74, 62% for ages 65-69, and 50.3% for ages 60-64. The deadline for pre-reservations is July 3.
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum encouraged vaccination, stating, "For those aged 60 and above, a single dose provides nearly 90% preventive effect, and there have been no deaths even among those infected after vaccination."
Kim Ki-nam, head of the Vaccination Planning Division at the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Task Force, emphasized, "If eligible individuals miss their turn by the end of June, the first dose opportunity will be given to the entire population by the end of September before their turn comes again. Therefore, those aged 60 to 74 must make a reservation and get vaccinated by July 3."
First Dose Vaccination Rate at 7.7%... Masks Must Be Worn Indoors Until December
According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Task Force, as of midnight on this day, the first dose vaccination rate is 7.7% of the population. The second dose rate stands at 3.8%.
To increase vaccination rates among the elderly, starting next month, those who have received the first dose or completed vaccination will be excluded from the current limit of 8 people for direct family gatherings. For families where two grandparents have been vaccinated, gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed.
Welfare centers, which had been suspended, will resume operations, and small groups composed only of fully vaccinated individuals at senior welfare facilities such as senior centers will be allowed activities like singing classes, wind instrument lessons, and eating.
Face-to-face visits will be permitted at nursing hospitals and facilities if either the visitor or the resident has completed vaccination. First dose recipients will receive discounts, exemptions, or priority access to entrance fees and usage fees at public facilities such as national parks.
However, indoor mask-wearing will be maintained until herd immunity is established. The government will consider easing the indoor mask mandate after December, when the nationwide vaccination rate reaches around 70%.
When verification of vaccination history is required for using multi-use facilities, vaccinated individuals can confirm their vaccination status to facility managers via a mobile application (electronic certificate) or paper certificate.
On the 26th, when the government announced plans to provide 'vaccine recipient incentives' to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates, medical staff at the vaccination center in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, were administering vaccines to elderly individuals. People who have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be exempt from the immediate family gathering size limit (currently 8 people) starting from the 1st of next month. From July, they will be allowed to remove masks outdoors in places such as parks and hiking trails, and will be exempt from the set limits on the number of people allowed in indoor and outdoor multi-use facilities such as restaurants, cafes, wedding halls, religious institutions, and private gatherings. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Experts: "Alleviating Vaccine Anxiety Is Crucial... Broad Support for Side Effects Needed"
Experts view the introduction of incentives to expand vaccination positively but emphasize that alleviating public anxiety about vaccines is a priority.
Professor Chun Eun-mi of the Respiratory Medicine Department at Ewha Mokdong Hospital said, "The low vaccination rate is due to anxiety about the vaccine," adding, "The best way to increase vaccination rates is for the government to provide broad support for vaccination side effects to alleviate these anxieties."
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Employment and Labor held a meeting with related ministries on the same day to review the 'Essential Worker Protection and Support Measures' and decided to advance the vaccination schedule for essential workers, including medical personnel, delivery and courier workers, and care workers. Essential workers are personnel necessary for protecting citizens' lives and maintaining social functions during disasters. In addition to medical personnel and elderly and disabled care workers, who are currently prioritized for vaccination, delivery and courier workers, as well as sanitation workers, will be added.
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