Additional Vaccinations for Pre-Registrants
Change to Pfizer Possible... Stock-Dependent Flexibility
Some Locations Saw 7 People Rush In Right at 9 AM Opening
On the 8th, COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for Janssen recipients began, and vaccinations are being administered at Yonsei With ENT Clinic in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
[Asia Economy Reporters Byungdon Yoo, Jeongyun Lee] "You have made an additional vaccination reservation for Janssen. If you want, you can also switch to the Pfizer vaccine."
At around 9 a.m. on the 8th, when the additional COVID-19 booster shots for Janssen recipients began, at Yonsei With ENT Clinic in Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, a reporter who received the Janssen vaccine last June also got the additional shot that day. The additional vaccination is basically reserved with the Moderna vaccine, but if desired and stock is available, it can be changed to the Pfizer vaccine. When expressing the wish to receive the Pfizer vaccine, the immediate response was "possible." Before vaccination, a preliminary questionnaire was filled out to check for underlying diseases or allergic reactions, and ID verification and temperature measurement were conducted. The doctor also explained precautions and conducted a preliminary examination.
The time taken for the Pfizer vaccine injection was less than a second. The vaccination was completed immediately after the doctor said, "It will sting." No pain or soreness was felt. After the vaccination, the person waited about 15 minutes at the clinic while reading the guidelines on precautions before and after vaccination. No particular pain or adverse reactions appeared, and thus the additional vaccination for Janssen recipients was completed. Only 20 people were scheduled to receive additional vaccinations at this location until 5 p.m. that day.
At an ENT clinic in Gajeong-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon, seven men in their 30s lined up as soon as it turned 9 a.m. All of them were Janssen vaccine recipients who completed their vaccination last June and were office workers. This clinic had Pfizer vaccine stock available for switching, but all of them received the Moderna vaccine as originally reserved. Kim Jaehan (37, pseudonym), who took a half-day off to get vaccinated that day, said, "They say the effect is greatest when you get the Moderna vaccine after Janssen, so I have no intention of switching."
According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, those who completed the basic vaccination with a single dose of the Janssen vaccine will begin additional vaccinations from that day according to the confirmed reservation schedule on the vaccination pre-reservation system. The target is those who have passed two months since completing the basic vaccination. The reservation is basically for the Moderna vaccine, but if the individual wishes and the vaccination institution has stock, it can be changed to the Pfizer vaccine. There are a total of 1.48 million Janssen vaccine recipients, and they became eligible for additional vaccination due to a high rate of so-called 'breakthrough infections' caused by insufficient antibodies despite receiving the recommended number of doses per vaccine. As of midnight the previous day, 44,403 Janssen recipients had already completed additional vaccination. From the 10th, about 500,000 people (260,000 in November and 240,000 in December) including patients, residents, and workers in nursing hospitals and facilities will begin additional vaccinations.
Most citizens who received additional vaccinations appeared to have no aversion to the vaccine. Oh Sejin (47), who received an additional vaccination at an internal medicine clinic in Jung-gu, Seoul, said, "I decided and made a reservation as soon as I received the additional vaccination notification text," adding, "Since I only had mild symptoms such as arm numbness after the Janssen vaccine, I don't feel much burden or aversion to the additional vaccination."
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