Government: "Overall COVID-19 Outbreak Scale to Decrease After Late July" (Update)

Pre-Booking Rate for Elderly Exceeds 80%
99.8% of Booked Individuals Actually Vaccinated

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The pre-registration rate for COVID-19 vaccines among the elderly aged 60 and over, which closed on the 3rd, has exceeded 80%. Most of those who made reservations are actually getting vaccinated, indicating that the vaccination process is gaining momentum. Accordingly, the government expects the overall scale of the COVID-19 outbreak to decrease after the end of July.

On the 4th, Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, said at the COVID-19 vaccine briefing, "The rate of vaccine registrants who actually receive the vaccination reached 99.8% as of yesterday (the 3rd)," adding, "Except for very unavoidable reasons such as feeling unwell on the day of vaccination, we believe that most people are getting vaccinated as scheduled."

As vaccination accelerates, the fatality rate due to COVID-19 is also decreasing. Son explained, "As the number of critically ill patients decreases, the fatality rate is dropping," adding, "Since the 1st of this month, the fatality rate has fallen from the 1.4% range to the 1.3% range, which means it has decreased over the past month or two, and we expect it to continue to decline."

The government plans to complete the first dose for more than 13 million people, mainly elderly individuals, in the first half of the year. After general public vaccinations begin in earnest from July, it is anticipated that the number of critically ill COVID-19 patients and deaths will further decrease.

Son stated, "From July, the number of critically ill patients will decrease and the fatality rate will drop," adding, "As vaccinations for the general public proceed from July to September, the overall scale of the outbreak will also decrease from late July to early August."