Pfizer Vaccination for Elderly Aged 75 and Over Next Month... "Priority Vaccination for Those 70 and Older Due to Higher Severity" (Comprehensive)

Vaccinations for Elderly Aged 65 and Over in Long-Term Care Hospitals to Begin Next Week
Community Elderly Aged 65 and Over to Receive Vaccinations in May-June
All to Receive AstraZeneca Vaccine

On the 15th, the 'Seoul City No.1 COVID-19 Vaccination Center' was established in the auditorium of Seongdong-gu Office in Seoul. Nurses are demonstrating the vaccine aliquoting process. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporters Sojeong Seo and Chunhee Lee] Elderly people aged 75 and over will receive the Pfizer vaccine next month, while those aged 65 to 74 will be vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine in May and June.

Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters (Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency), explained at the COVID-19 regular briefing on the 15th, "Since the severity is very high among those aged 70 and over, it was decided to start vaccination with seniors aged 75 and above."

Vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine will also begin next week for 377,000 inpatients, residents, and workers aged 65 and over at nursing hospitals and facilities, where vaccination had been postponed.

The COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team announced the "COVID-19 Vaccination Second Quarter Implementation Plan" on the same day, stating that starting next month, vaccination will begin for the general elderly population aged 65 and over, beginning with those aged 75 and above.

Elderly aged 75 and over, nursing facility residents and workers to receive Pfizer... "Vaccinate with whichever vaccine arrives first"

(Unit: persons)

The Promotion Team plans to start vaccinating more than 11.5 million people in the second quarter, including those aged 65 and over.

The target groups are ▲inpatients, residents, and workers aged 65 and over at nursing hospitals and facilities (377,000 people) ▲residents and workers at COVID-19 vulnerable facilities (669,400 people) ▲elderly aged 65 and over (8,583,000 people) ▲school and childcare space workers (555,000 people) ▲chronic disease patients under 64 (104,000 people) ▲healthcare workers and essential social workers (1,214,000 people), among others.

The first group to begin vaccination is the 377,000 inpatients, residents, and workers aged 65 and over at nursing hospitals and facilities, with vaccinations starting next week. Initially, the government planned to vaccinate all inpatients, residents, and workers at nursing hospitals and facilities, but postponed vaccination due to insufficient clinical trial data for the AstraZeneca vaccine. However, as clinical trial results from the UK and other countries showed no issues with vaccinating the elderly, vaccination has now begun.

The groups starting vaccination earliest in the second quarter, beginning in the first week of April, are ▲elderly aged 75 and over (3.64 million people) ▲nursing facility residents and workers (158,000 people) ▲special education workers, health teachers in kindergartens and elementary/middle schools, and specialized staff and nursing personnel for children with disabilities in daycare centers (64,000 people).

Among these, the elderly aged 75 and over and nursing facility residents and workers will receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. These are the only groups announced for second-quarter vaccination who will receive the Pfizer vaccine.

The Promotion Team plans to conduct vaccinations for those aged 75 and over at vaccination centers established regionally, as the Pfizer vaccine requires ultra-cold storage below minus 70 degrees Celsius. To this end, the team plans to open 22 centers this month, 140 next month, and a total of 254 centers by July.

However, those who have difficulty going out or moving due to severe mobility issues or whose underlying conditions may worsen upon external movement will be excluded from vaccination and will receive separate guidance on vaccination methods and timing later.

For those traveling abroad for essential official duties, AstraZeneca vaccination is the principle, but there is a possibility of Pfizer vaccination as an exception. Head Jung said, "For essential official travel, we currently plan AstraZeneca vaccination through public health centers," but added, "If the travel date is very urgent and vaccination is necessary, we are considering Pfizer vaccination as an exception."

Special education workers to be vaccinated next month... Kindergarten and elementary school teachers in June

[Image source=Yonhap News]

With daily attendance resuming for kindergarten and first and second graders in elementary school, vaccination will also be conducted for teachers, staff, and related workers to protect schools and childcare spaces.

First, next month, AstraZeneca vaccination will begin for a total of 64,000 people, including ▲special school teachers and staff (37,000 people) ▲health teachers in kindergartens and elementary/middle schools (12,000 people) ▲staff dedicated to children with disabilities in daycare centers (14,000 people) ▲nursing personnel in daycare centers (1,000 people).

In June, vaccination will be conducted for 491,000 people, including ▲kindergarten teachers and staff (54,000 people) ▲daycare center teachers and staff (287,000 people) ▲elementary school (grades 1-2) teachers and staff (63,000 people) ▲childcare workers in kindergartens and elementary schools (88,000 people).

Head Jung explained, "The Ministry of Education recommended prioritizing special education workers who care for children with disabilities and health teachers because the risk of transmission is high if they become infected, and this was decided after review."

The Promotion Team announced that a total of 17,793,000 vaccine doses are scheduled to be introduced in the first half of the year. Of these, 16,102,000 doses have confirmed supply schedules from this month through June, and schedules for the remaining vaccines are being negotiated individually with manufacturers.

Head Jung said, "Negotiations on the specific supply schedule are ongoing," adding, "There is a possibility of changes in the vaccine assigned to the target groups, and detailed adjustments to the vaccination schedule can also be made."

Head Jung stated, "We will prepare the second-quarter vaccination plan without any setbacks" and "aim to provide first-dose vaccination to 12 million people in the first half of the year."

He continued, "Although about 303.5 million vaccinations have been administered worldwide, no deaths caused by vaccines have been confirmed, whereas approximately 2.6 million people worldwide have died from COVID-19 infection," emphasizing, "Vaccination is a personal choice, but it is the most certain scientific means to protect one's own health and the safety of neighbors who cannot be vaccinated, thereby bringing daily life closer," urging citizens' cooperation.

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