Free COVID-19 Vaccinations for Seniors Aged 75 and Older Starting October 11

KDCA Announces 2024-25 Seasonal Vaccination Plan
Utilizing 7.55 Million Doses of New JN.1 Vaccine

Starting from the 11th of next month, free COVID-19 vaccinations will be administered beginning with seniors aged 75 and older and residents of infection-vulnerable facilities.

On the 13th, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced the '2024-2025 Season COVID-19 Vaccination (National Implementation) Plan' following deliberations by the Vaccination Expert Committee.

Accordingly, from the 11th of next month until April 30th of the following year, vaccinations will proceed sequentially by age group, starting with seniors aged 75 and older. Those aged 70-74 can receive vaccinations starting October 15th, and those aged 65-69 from the 18th. Immunocompromised individuals aged six months and older, as well as inpatients and residents of infection-vulnerable facilities, can also receive vaccinations from the 11th, alongside those aged 75 and above.

COVID-19 is currently in the endemic phase with periodic outbreaks each year. Since the risk level was downgraded on May 1st, it has been managed as an infectious disease requiring annual vaccination alongside influenza. The general public who are not in high-risk groups can receive vaccinations at frontline medical institutions for a fee using vaccines distributed in the private sector.

The 2024-2025 season vaccination will be completed with a single dose, as in previous seasons. However, immunocompromised individuals under 12 years old may require more than one dose and should consult healthcare professionals before vaccination. Vaccinations can be received at designated medical institutions or public health centers nearby regardless of the registrant’s address. Designated medical institutions can be confirmed by contacting the local public health center or through the Vaccination Helper website.

When visiting vaccination sites, individuals must bring identification documents such as an ID card or resident registration certificate to verify eligibility and prevent duplicate vaccinations. After vaccination, it is advised to remain at the site for 20 to 30 minutes to monitor for any adverse reactions before returning home to rest adequately.

This vaccination campaign will utilize 7.55 million doses of the new JN.1 vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax), which are effective against recently circulating variants. The KDCA explained, "Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have completed approval procedures and are being introduced domestically, while Novavax vaccines are undergoing related approval processes and will be rapidly introduced in the future for high-risk groups and those contraindicated for mRNA vaccines."

The KDCA plans to analyze this year’s vaccination rates to ensure stable vaccine supply management and will promptly secure additional vaccines or expand free vaccination targets according to priority if necessary.

Director Jeong Young-mi of the KDCA emphasized, "Because the circulating COVID-19 variants change, it is important for high-risk groups to get vaccinated annually." She added, "Especially seniors aged 65 and older are encouraged to conveniently receive both COVID-19 and influenza vaccines in a single visit to vaccination sites to safely get through this winter."