First Day of Vaccination... Smooth Start at Public Health Centers and Nursing Hospitals Nationwide (Comprehensive)

Vaccinated Individuals Unite: "Hope for Normalcy" and "Concerns About Side Effects Disappeared"

On the morning of the 26th, Shin Jeong-sook, a caregiver at a senior care center, is receiving the first dose of the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) at the Geumcheon-gu Public Health Center in Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] As COVID-19 vaccinations began domestically from 9 a.m. on the 26th, vaccinations are progressing smoothly nationwide.

The first vaccine recipient appeared 15 minutes earlier than the scheduled time. Lee Kyung-soon (61), a caregiver at Sanggye Nursing Home, received the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Nowon-gu Public Health Center around 8:45 a.m. Although the government decided not to specify the first vaccine recipient, Lee effectively became the first recipient as her vaccination took place early. She said, "I was a bit nervous in the morning, but now I feel fine," adding, "I was anxious about catching COVID-19, but receiving the vaccine has eased my worries."

From 9 a.m., vaccinations officially started at public health centers and nursing hospitals nationwide. The target group includes inpatients and residents under 65 years old, as well as workers at 5,813 nursing hospitals, nursing facilities, and mental health and rehabilitation facilities across the country. Among them, 289,480 people had consented to vaccination as of the previous day. On this day, 5,266 residents and workers at 213 nursing facilities nationwide were scheduled to receive the vaccine. The vaccine administered this time is the AstraZeneca vaccine. After the first dose is completed in early next month, the second dose will be given approximately eight weeks later.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The first vaccine recipients in each region expressed hope for a return to normal life. Kim Jung-ok (57), director of Noa Rehabilitation Nursing Home and the first to receive the vaccine at Dobong-gu Public Health Center, said, "I felt a bit dizzy while sitting earlier, but after 15 minutes, I felt fine," adding, "If herd immunity is well established, the elderly will be able to have visits freely, and people can take off their masks and return to normal life, which makes me happy."

Yang Eun-kyung (48), a caregiver who was the first vaccine recipient in Jeju, said, "It hurts less than the flu shot. With the flu shot, maybe because of the larger volume, the injection site sometimes feels hard or lumpy, but that was not the case with the COVID-19 vaccine," adding, "I hope the day when we can take off masks and care for the elderly returns soon."

There were also comments that concerns about side effects disappeared after vaccination. Kim Young-sun (54), a patient at a senior specialized hospital in Chuncheon, Gangwon, who was the first to be vaccinated there, said, "I have no side effects at all, so I hope others will be encouraged to get vaccinated by seeing me go first." Kim Soon-yi (57), head nurse at Onhwa Nursing Home in Haeundae-gu, Busan, said, "Since I work at a nursing home, I thought it was natural to get vaccinated," adding, "I was anxious at first, but after getting the vaccine, my worries were relieved."

On the 26th, when the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the global pharmaceutical company Pfizer arrived in Korea, medical staff were busy at the Central Vaccination Center of the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Pfizer vaccine vaccinations will begin the next day, on the 27th, at this Central Vaccination Center. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Meanwhile, 58,500 doses of the Pfizer vaccine supplied through the COVAX facility arrived at Incheon Airport and began delivery to five vaccination centers. The vaccines were transported to five locations: the Central Vaccination Center at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul; regional vaccination centers at Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital, Gwangju Chosun University Hospital; and Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital, where vaccinations will begin tomorrow morning.

The Pfizer vaccine will be administered to 54,498 workers at COVID-19 treatment hospitals by the 20th of next month. On the first day, 300 people, including 199 workers at the National Medical Center and 101 workers at COVID-19 treatment hospitals in the metropolitan area, will receive the vaccine at the Central Vaccination Center.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.