Gyeonggi-do to Offer Free COVID-19 Vaccinations for High-Risk Groups Starting from the 11th

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

Gyeonggi Province will conduct COVID-19 vaccinations from the 11th of this month until April 30th of next year.

The vaccination support targets are high-risk groups for infection, including seniors aged 65 and over, immunocompromised individuals aged 6 months and older, and residents or inpatients of infection-vulnerable facilities, who can receive free vaccinations at designated medical institutions.

For seniors, vaccinations will be administered sequentially by age group starting from those aged 75 and over from the 11th, similar to the influenza vaccination schedule, and simultaneous vaccination with both vaccines is recommended. Immunocompromised individuals aged 6 months and older and residents or inpatients of infection-vulnerable facilities will also begin vaccination from the 11th, the same as those aged 75 and over.

Although the summer COVID-19 outbreak has shifted to a declining trend, it is important for high-risk groups, such as those aged 65 and over who are at high risk of severe illness upon infection, to actively participate in vaccination to prepare for the upcoming winter COVID-19 outbreak.

This vaccination will utilize the new JN.1 vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax), which are effective against recently circulating variants. This season's vaccination will be completed with a single dose; however, immunocompromised individuals under 12 years old may require more than one dose and should consult healthcare professionals before vaccination.

COVID-19 vaccinations are available at designated medical institutions regardless of the recipient's address, and nearby designated institutions can be checked on the Vaccination Helper website (nip.kdca.go.kr).

When visiting vaccination sites, it is necessary to bring identification to verify eligibility and prevent duplicate vaccinations. Additionally, after vaccination, recipients should remain at the site for 20 to 30 minutes to monitor for adverse reactions before returning home to rest adequately.

Han Jeong-hee, Director of the Infectious Disease Management Division of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "Since the COVID-19 variant viruses that circulate annually change, we recommend high-risk groups receive vaccinations every year." She added, "Especially for seniors aged 65 and over, we hope they conveniently receive simultaneous COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations to have a safe winter."