Booster Shots Begin for Ages 75 and Older... AZ Vaccinations for Ages 60-74 Start in February Next Year

Janssen and Moderna Booster Shot Plan to Be Announced on the 28th

As the COVID-19 vaccination completion rate surpassed 70%, the vaccination status is displayed on the 'Vaccine Temperature Tower' installed on the traffic island at Jayang Intersection in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, on the 25th. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] Starting today, COVID-19 vaccine booster shots (additional vaccinations) will begin for the elderly aged 75 and older and users of elderly care facilities. The booster shots, which began on the 12th for workers at COVID-19 treatment hospitals, will be gradually expanded today to include the elderly, those aged 60 and above, and high-risk groups.

According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team on the 25th, Pfizer vaccine booster shots will be administered starting today to those aged 60 and above and high-risk individuals who completed their vaccination at least six months ago. As of midnight the previous day, a total of 811,877 people aged 60 and above and high-risk groups had made booster shot reservations.

Booster shots for users, residents, and workers of elderly facilities such as nursing homes, group living homes for the elderly, and day and night care centers will also begin today.

From the 1st of next month, booster shots will be given to immunocompromised individuals such as those with acute leukemia and lymphoma; from the 10th, to inpatients, residents, and workers of long-term care hospitals and facilities; and from the 15th, to workers at hospital-level or higher medical institutions.

Those aged 60 to 74 who completed vaccination with the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine will receive their booster shots in February next year.

Plans for booster shots for Moderna and Janssen vaccine recipients will be announced soon. The government will hold a Vaccination Expert Committee meeting on the 27th to review booster shot plans for vaccines including Moderna and Janssen, and will announce the results in a briefing on the 28th.

According to the Promotion Team, as of midnight today, the vaccination completion rate is 70.1% of the population, and 81.5% among those aged 18 and above.

The government expects to achieve a 75% vaccination completion rate by the end of October. Jeon Hae-cheol, the 2nd Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, stated yesterday, "Considering the stable vaccination trend, the completion rate is expected to exceed 75% by the end of October," and emphasized, "We will also proceed smoothly with vaccinations for children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 and pregnant women to ensure the completion rate reaches around 80%."