Busan City to Begin Additional COVID-19 Vaccinations for High-Risk Groups Starting the 15th

High-Risk Group - Previously Vaccinated Immunocompromised Individuals Aged 65 and Over or 5 and Over in the '23-'24 Season

Vaccination with XBB.1.5 Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax Vaccines Targeting Variants During the Outbreak

'23-'24 Season C

Busan City will begin administering additional COVID-19 booster shots starting from the 15th to high-risk groups, including ▲citizens aged 65 and older ▲immunocompromised individuals aged 5 and above who have already received the '23-'24 seasonal vaccine.

This initiative follows the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's 2023 COVID-19 Additional Vaccination Plan aimed at preventing severe illness and death among high-risk groups, considering the vaccine effectiveness against the currently circulating variant (JN.1) and the short duration of immunity in immunocompromised individuals and other high-risk groups.

The vaccines used for this booster are the XBB.1.5 Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax vaccines, tailored to the variants currently prevalent both domestically and worldwide. Vaccinations can be received on the same day by visiting a nearby designated medical institution after inquiry, without prior reservation.

Designated medical institutions can be found on the COVID-19 vaccination website.

Citizens who have not yet received the '23-'24 seasonal COVID-19 vaccine, aside from those eligible for this additional booster, can also receive the vaccine at nearby medical institutions if they wish.

Individuals who have previously contracted COVID-19 can be vaccinated regardless of the date of diagnosis, but if they have recently been vaccinated, they must wait at least 3 months (90 days) before receiving the booster.

Lee Sora, Director of the City’s Public Health Bureau, urged, “Since immunity formed through infection or vaccination decreases over time, we strongly encourage seniors aged 65 and older and immunocompromised individuals, who are considered high-risk groups, to actively participate in this vaccination campaign.”