Janssen Vaccine 900,000 Doses Pre-Booked
Sold Out Early in 18 Hours
30s in Vaccine Priority Queue
Desperately Say "Let's Just Get Vaccinated"
Incentives Fuel Enthusiastic Atmosphere
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's COVID-19 vaccination reservation system indicates that pre-registration for the Janssen vaccine has ended. [Image source: Screenshot of the COVID-19 vaccination reservation system]
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] "We are in the later priority group, so we don't know when we'll get vaccinated, but we thought we should just get it as soon as possible." (Civil Defense member Choi Seung-jun, 32)
The Janssen COVID-19 vaccine pre-registration, conducted on a first-come, first-served basis, was closed early after just 18 hours, drawing attention to the vaccination reservation rate among the elderly aged 60 and over, one day before the deadline. Since people in their 30s rushed to get vaccinated out of desperation not knowing when they would get the shot, the key question is whether a positive atmosphere toward the vaccine will spread among the elderly as well.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 2nd, the pre-registration for 900,000 doses of the Janssen vaccine, which started at midnight the previous day, closed at around 6:04 p.m., 18 hours later. Although there were concerns that the reservation rate would be low due to the rare risk of thrombosis associated with viral vector vaccines like AstraZeneca (AZ), the reservations ended quickly.
Mathematically, 24.2% of the 3,715,000 eligible people completed their reservations in less than a day. Compared to the first-day reservation rates by age group for the general population, which were 18.6% for ages 60?64, 21.4% for ages 65?69, and 11.5% for ages 70?74, this is considerably high.
The high popularity of the Janssen vaccine is analyzed to be driven by the desperation of men in their 30s. They are called a kind of "sandwiched generation." The government is currently proceeding with vaccinations for the general public by lowering the age groups, so people in their 30s inevitably fall into a later priority group for vaccination.
On the 2nd, a campaign notice offering discounted movie tickets to customers vaccinated against COVID-19 was posted at the entrance of Yongsan CGV. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Moreover, they are expected to have a high probability of receiving viral vector vaccines, which have been embroiled in rare thrombosis controversies. Unlike those under 20, who were excluded from AZ and Janssen vaccinations because the benefits of vaccination were assessed to be less than the risk of rare thrombosis, people in their 30s were evaluated to have greater benefits from vaccination.
Unlike people in their 20s, who will receive the relatively preferred messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines domestically, people in their 30s cannot help but complain, "How can the evaluation change so much just because of a small age difference?"
If vaccination is delayed, the timing to enjoy related incentives is also delayed. Based on AZ, which has the longest interval between doses, vaccination completion incentives such as exemption from private gathering limits are granted 13 weeks after the first dose. If vaccinated around September, full incentives would only be given in December.
As the government actively expands incentives, a consensus has formed mainly among younger people that "if we're going to get vaccinated anyway, let's get it done quickly," which is why the vaccine has shown high popularity.
On the 28th of last month, elderly individuals who completed their COVID-19 vaccination at the vaccination center in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, are waiting in the observation area. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
The high popularity of the Janssen vaccine has also focused attention on the outcome of the AZ vaccination pre-registration rate for the elderly aged 60?74, which runs until the 3rd. Since the government is strengthening incentives centered on the elderly, such as opening senior centers and allowing face-to-face visits at nursing hospitals and facilities, it is expected to gain momentum gradually.
The government's vaccination rate target for the elderly is 80% of the eligible population. As of midnight that day, the vaccination reservation rates were 78.8% for ages 70?74, 76.6% for ages 65?69, and 71.2% for ages 60?64.
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum presided over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting on the day and stated, "The AZ vaccine reservation rate for seniors aged 60 and over is approaching 75%." Approximately 400,000 additional reservations are needed in the remaining two days.
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