[Issue Q&A] Additional Vaccination Pre-Booking Starts Tomorrow... 'When Will Those Under 40 Get It?'

Ages 60s: 4 months, 50s: 5 months, 40s: 'Undecided'
"Additional vaccination reduces infection rate by 1/10 and severe case rate by 1/20"

On the 8th, when the additional COVID-19 vaccination (booster shot) began for Janssen vaccine recipients and inpatients, residents, and workers of nursing hospitals and nursing facilities, a Janssen vaccine recipient is receiving an additional vaccination at Yonsei With ENT Clinic in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The interval for additional vaccinations (booster shots), which was previously six months, will be shortened to four months. This measure aims to restore the diminished preventive effect as breakthrough infections have become frequent, especially among high-risk groups, as time has passed since the completion of the primary vaccination series. We have addressed questions regarding the changed booster shot policy.

Q. Who are the targets for the changed booster shot schedule announced this time?

A. The vaccination interval will be shortened to four months for seniors aged 60 and over, inpatients, residents, and workers at nursing hospitals, facilities, and infection-vulnerable facilities, as well as healthcare workers. For people aged 18 to 59 with underlying health conditions, the interval is also shortened. Additionally, the interval is shortened to five months for the general public in their 50s and priority occupational groups such as military, police, and firefighters. For Janssen vaccine recipients and immunocompromised individuals, the existing policy of additional vaccination two months after completing the primary series remains in place.

Q. What is the schedule for the booster shots?

A. The general public whose vaccination interval has been shortened can make vaccination reservations starting from the 22nd through the COVID-19 vaccination pre-booking system. Considering vaccine delivery schedules, available vaccination dates will be set from the 6th of next month onward. Eligibility for pre-booking will be individually notified via text messages. If a faster vaccination is desired, vaccinations using social networking services (SNS) such as Naver and Kakao, or medical institutions’ own waiting lists, will also be available from the 22nd.

Inpatients and workers at nursing hospitals and healthcare personnel within medical institutions, who are subject to institutional vaccination, began vaccination on the 17th. For infection-vulnerable facilities requiring vaccination visits by public health center personnel rather than institutional vaccination, rapid vaccination will be conducted through schedule coordination at a later date.

Q. So far, the booster shot targets have only been set for people in their 50s and older. Will people aged 40 and below not receive booster shots?

A. Except for those with underlying health conditions, workers in infection-vulnerable facilities, and essential social workers, booster shots for the general public aged 40 and below have not yet been decided. Jeong Eun-kyung, head of the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, said, "Many experts believe that eventually everyone will need booster shots," but added, "There is still time until the 5-6 month mark is reached, and globally, not many countries are administering booster shots to the general adult population yet."

Overseas, on the 19th (local time), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) under the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended booster shots for all adults six months after completing vaccination. Israel is currently administering booster shots to all vaccine recipients aged 12 and older. Japan, Sydney in Australia, and others have recently lowered the booster shot age to 18, and Italy and the UK have lowered or plan to lower the age to 40.

Jeong said, "We will decide based on the effectiveness after vaccination and the incidence of breakthrough infections," adding, "Further expansion will be reviewed in the third phase." The health authorities previously decided on booster shots for seniors aged 60 and over in the first phase, then expanded the target to people in their 50s and those with underlying conditions in the second phase. The decision on booster shots for those aged 18 to 49, the third phase, is currently under review.

Jung Eun-kyung, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, is receiving an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose on the morning of the 19th at Hana Hospital in Cheongju, a designated vaccination medical institution. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Q. Why are booster shots necessary?

A. Analysis by health authorities of antibody formation and persistence by vaccine type among domestic vaccine recipients showed that neutralizing antibody levels, which neutralize the virus and induce preventive effects, gradually decline 3 to 5 months after completing vaccination. Especially for the Delta variant, antibody levels were only 14-53% of the standard virus antibody levels immediately after vaccination and dropped to about half after 3 to 5 months. Compared to the standard virus antibody levels right after vaccination, it is about 12-15%.

However, a study of Israel’s booster vaccination cases, where booster shots were administered earliest, showed that those who completed the booster had a confirmed infection rate one-tenth and a severe case rate one-twentieth that of those who only completed the primary series. On the other hand, side effects in terms of safety were similar between booster shots and the second dose.

Q. I had a breakthrough infection after completing vaccination. I heard that infection itself can generate additional antibodies. Does that mean I don’t need a booster shot?

A. There are currently no separate guidelines for breakthrough infection cases, and individuals can receive vaccination if they wish. Choi Eun-hwa, a vaccination expert committee member, said, "It is unclear how long the antibodies generated by natural infection and the preventive effect from additional vaccination will last," and personally expects that booster shots may not be necessary. However, she added, "We have not directly discussed whether to recommend booster shots to these individuals," and "We will review expert advisory opinions and reorganize the guidelines."

Jeong Eun-kyung also said, "So far, we are not considering vaccination contraindications or exclusions for booster shots for breakthrough infection cases," adding, "We will review more evidence, conduct expert and committee reviews, and prepare detailed implementation criteria to provide guidance."

Q. If I do not receive a booster shot, will I lose the benefits of the 'vaccine pass' (vaccination certificate/negative test confirmation system)?

A. No. The health authorities have stated that they currently have no plans to change the vaccine pass criteria, which is set at 14 days after completing the primary vaccination series, to the booster shot criteria. However, they will discuss this later considering the progress of booster vaccinations and the epidemic situation.

Q. Is one booster shot enough, or will I need to keep getting them regularly?

A. While the situation will need to be monitored further, there is a possibility that booster shots will be needed continuously. Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, recently claimed, "The preventive effect of the third booster shot seems to last for one year," and "If so, vaccines will be administered annually." However, this is only a prediction, and the emergence of new variants and the effectiveness of additional vaccinations will need to be observed.

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