'How Are Other Countries Doing?'... Government Shortens Additional Vaccination Interval to 3 Months

On the afternoon of the 10th, medical staff at the vaccination center of Dongsin Hospital in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, are organizing syringes containing the Moderna vaccine for booster shots.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] As the spread of COVID-19 intensifies in South Korea, the government has decided to shorten the interval for the third dose of vaccination for adults to 3 months in order to accelerate the implementation of additional vaccinations.

On the 10th, the government announced that it would shorten the recommended interval for the third dose for adults aged 18 and over from 4-5 months after completing the second dose to 3 months.

Therefore, adults who have passed 3 months since their second dose can make advance reservations starting from the 13th, and receive the third dose from the 15th.

The current interval for additional vaccination is 4-6 months after completing the basic vaccination. On the 17th of last month, the government shortened the interval to 4 months for seniors aged 60 and over, nursing hospitals and facilities, medical institutions, and patients with underlying conditions; to 5 months for people in their 50s and priority occupational groups such as military personnel, police, and firefighters. The rest of adults aged 18 and over have a 6-month interval.

However, as the domestic quarantine situation has recently worsened, the government stated that rapid third-dose vaccination is necessary for socially active age groups as well. The decision was made to block the spread of the Delta variant and prepare for the future spread of Omicron.

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting on the 10th, "Rapid vaccination is the top priority," and added, "Based on expert opinions, the government has decided to shorten the vaccination interval so that anyone aged 18 and over can receive the third dose 3 months after completing the basic vaccination."

The reason for halving the interval for additional vaccination is that health authorities have judged that the effectiveness of the vaccine decreases 2-3 months after vaccination.

Hong Jung-ik, head of the Vaccination Management Team at the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, said, "Various studies show that vaccine effectiveness starts to decline from 70 days after the second dose, or as early as 2 to 3 months," and added, "The idea is to administer the additional dose at the point when vaccine effectiveness peaks and then begins to decline, to boost the effect."

Earlier, on the 9th (local time), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the EU's regulatory authority for medicines, stated that receiving the third dose 3 months after completing vaccination is effective.

Currently, countries that have uniformly adjusted the third dose interval to 3 months include the United Kingdom and Greece. Japan has shortened the interval from 8 months to 6 months and allows vaccination within 3 months for those who wish.

Meanwhile, countries such as Israel, which first introduced the third dose, as well as the United States and Canada, have a third dose interval of 5 or 6 months for all ages.

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