"Our Country's Vaccination Speed Will Be a Key Variable in Preventing Variant Viruses"

Elderly Aged 60-74 Who Booked AstraZeneca Vaccination but Could Not Receive It This Month Will Get Pfizer Vaccine Starting July... Targeting 3,400 Residents of Gangnam-gu

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] From July 1st, the number of people allowed to gather privately will increase to six.

The government recently announced a social distancing reform plan, deciding to have a two-week preparation period starting in July during which gatherings of up to six people will be permitted.

Also, the current five-level distancing system will be reduced to four levels, and restrictions on multi-use facilities will be minimized. However, the distancing level will be adjusted by individual local governments based on the number of confirmed cases per 100,000 population. In the metropolitan area, for example, Level 2 will be applied if there are more than 250 cases per day, and Level 3 if there are more than 500 cases.

Elderly people aged 60 to 74 who had reserved AstraZeneca vaccinations but could not receive them this month will receive the Pfizer vaccine starting in July.

There are 3,400 eligible residents in Gangnam-gu. However, among those eligible for AstraZeneca vaccination, individuals who did not make a prior reservation or who canceled without postponing are not eligible for rebooking.

Vaccination reservations can be made until the 30th through the Gangnam-gu call center or the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency website, where you can select the hospital, date, and time for vaccination.

The first dose will be administered from July 5th to 17th.

At the end of July, vaccinations will begin for people aged 50 and above, and by mid-August, vaccinations will start for the general population aged 40 and below. Residents are encouraged to trust the government and participate in vaccinations in the designated order to protect the health of their loved ones.

In the United States, the 'Delta variant' is expected to spread within a few weeks. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Delta variant was found in 9.9% of confirmed cases on the 5th and increased to 20% by the 19th, two weeks later. Analysts have noted that this shows the same pattern of doubling every two weeks as the UK-originated 'Alpha variant.'

Fortunately, the weapon to win the battle against these variants is vaccination. Dr. Anthony Fauci of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases emphasized, "Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine showed 83% effectiveness against the Delta variant and 93% against the Alpha variant."

Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, stated in a briefing the previous day that 190 cases of the Delta variant have been confirmed domestically, with three cases of community transmission, describing it as an "early stage of importation" and pledging strict entry controls. She also added that booster shots are being considered to respond to variants.

With a nationwide vaccination rate of 30%, South Korea's vaccination speed will be a key variable in preventing the spread of variant viruses going forward.

Now, let me provide the current COVID-19 status in Gangnam-gu.

As of the 25th, confirmed cases have reached number 3120. Cases 3085, 3097, 3103, 3106, 3107, and 3109 were confirmed through contact with previously confirmed Gangnam-gu residents, while cases 3086, 3092, and 3096 were family members of previously confirmed Gangnam-gu residents.

Cases 3089, 3093, 3095, 3100, 3105, 3110, 3113, 3118, and 3120 tested positive through contact with confirmed cases from other regions. Cases 3084, 3087, 3088, 3090, 3091, 3094, 3098, 3099, 3101, 3102, 3104, 3108, 3111, 3112, 3114 through 3117, and 3119 were confirmed with symptoms such as fever but their infection routes are unknown, and epidemiological investigations are ongoing.

As of the 25th, Gangnam-gu is managing 2,493 self-quarantined individuals, of whom 1,659 are overseas arrivals and 834 are domestic contacts.

The cumulative number of specimen tests conducted at Gangnam-gu Public Health Center screening clinics and temporary screening sites is 535,823. On the 24th, among 3,296 tested individuals, 113 were overseas arrivals and 3,183 were domestic residents.

As of midnight on the 25th, 634 new domestic COVID-19 cases were reported, marking the third consecutive day with cases in the 600s. The average daily domestic cases over the past week were 453, similar to the previous period. Although community transmission continues and variant viruses are spreading, health authorities emphasize that the situation is not at a concerning level.

In particular, regarding variant viruses, they assessed that "the detection rate is 40%, which is lower compared to overseas."

Meanwhile, Gangnam-gu has decided to extend the Gangnam-style special quarantine week until next Sunday and will conduct comprehensive testing at twelve reconstruction construction sites including Gaepo 1-danji and 69 private construction sites.

Among the 5,000 related individuals tested so far, no positive cases have been found. Gangnam-gu will continue to maintain vigilance and expand proactive testing to minimize the spread of infectious diseases and protect residents' health and safety.

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