"Free Admission to Historic Palaces with Vaccination"... Citizens' Response to Government Incentives is 'Not Sure'

From the 21st, One-Month Intensive COVID-19 Vaccination Period
50% Vaccination Target for Seniors Aged 60 and Over
Only Those Vaccinated in Nursing Hospitals Allowed to Go Out

Baek Kyung-ran, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, is receiving an additional dose of the Pfizer updated vaccine on the 14th at Hana Hospital in Cheongju, Chungbuk, in preparation for the winter COVID-19 resurgence.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The government will operate a 'focused vaccination period' for one month to increase the COVID-19 winter additional vaccination rate. Vaccine incentives such as free admission to royal palaces and discounts on various facility usage fees will be provided to those vaccinated to encourage vaccination, but it remains uncertain whether the expected effect can be achieved.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the 17th, the government has set the period from the 21st of this month to the 18th of next month as the focused vaccination period, aiming to raise the additional vaccination rate of the elderly aged 60 and over to 50%, and the vaccination rate of infection-vulnerable facilities to 60%.

To this end, in consultation with local governments, cultural experience benefits such as discounts on temple stays and free admission to royal palaces and tombs will be provided to winter vaccine recipients, and discounts will also be offered when using facilities under local government jurisdiction. For infection-vulnerable facilities with high vaccination rates, additional points during various evaluations and financial support will also be promoted.

The vaccination institution day system, which has been in place since November last year, will be abolished to expand the number of days available for vaccination, and from the 21st, anyone will be able to get vaccinated without prior reservation.

Residents of nursing hospitals and facilities must receive the 3rd or 4th additional vaccination or, if 120 days have passed since confirmation, be vaccinated with the BA.1-based Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or the BA.4·5-based Pfizer vaccine to be allowed to go out or stay overnight.

The government is encouraging vaccination like this because, despite the full-scale onset of the 7th wave of COVID-19 and the increase in severe cases and deaths, the vaccination rate, the only means of prevention, is far below expectations. As of midnight on the day, the winter vaccination rate stands at only 4.3% of the total target population, and the vaccination rates for those aged 60 and over and infection-vulnerable facilities are also low at 13.2% and 11.0%, respectively.

Baek Kyung-ran, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, explained at a briefing the day before, "Research by the National Institute of Health revealed that the neutralizing antibody titer against the Omicron variant in patients hospitalized in nursing hospitals decreases after two months following the 4th vaccination," adding, "It is difficult to expect adequate infection prevention effects with existing vaccinations alone."

However, public reaction to the government's vaccine incentives is lukewarm. On online communities, complaints such as "It is discrimination against unvaccinated people," and "People aged 65 and over already have free admission to royal palaces or temples; who would get vaccinated because of that?" have been raised.

According to a perception survey conducted by the polling agency Korea Research from the 28th to 31st of last month targeting 1,000 people aged 18 and over nationwide, 65% of those who completed two or more vaccine doses responded that they would not receive an additional vaccination with the bivalent vaccine. Respondents cited reasons for unwillingness to vaccinate as "I can get infected even if I get vaccinated (34%)," "Concerns about adverse reactions to vaccination (28%)," and "Burden of frequent vaccinations (24%)."