From Tomorrow, People in Their 50s and Those with Underlying Conditions Can Receive the 4th Dose... Must Wait 4 Months After the 3rd Dose

Same-day Vaccination and Advance Reservations Begin... Scheduled Vaccinations Start August 1
Preventing Severe Illness and Death in High-Risk Groups Amid COVID Reemergence

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] From the 18th, people in their 50s and adults with underlying health conditions can also receive the 4th dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Those who make advance reservations can get vaccinated starting from the 1st of next month.

According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team on the 17th, from the 18th, the 4th dose vaccination targets will be expanded to include all age groups 50 and older, immunocompromised and people with underlying conditions aged 18 and above, and residents and workers in infection-vulnerable facilities (nursing hospitals/facilities, mental health promotion facilities, facilities for the disabled and homeless). Previously, only those aged 60 and above, immunocompromised individuals, and residents and workers in nursing hospitals/facilities and mental health promotion facilities were eligible for vaccination.

The health authorities are encouraging the 4th dose vaccination to prevent severe illness and death among high-risk groups as the subvariant BA.5, which has stronger transmissibility and immune evasion than the Omicron variant, becomes dominant, and the even more transmissible BA.2.75 variant (known as 'Centaurus') has been detected domestically, signaling an imminent resurgence.

The additional 4th dose recipients in their 50s are estimated to be about 8.57 million people, born from 1963 to before 1972.

Underlying conditions eligible for the 4th dose include chronic pulmonary diseases such as asthma, heart disease, chronic liver disease, chronic neurological diseases such as dementia and Parkinson's disease, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease, cancer, active tuberculosis, diabetes, and obesity. Additionally, if a doctor determines that a person with underlying conditions or immunocompromised status needs the 4th dose, vaccination is possible.

People with underlying conditions do not need to submit separate documents such as medical certificates or opinions for vaccination; the vaccination center will prepare and submit a questionnaire for people with underlying conditions.

The 4th dose can be administered only after at least 4 months (120 days) have passed since completing the 3rd dose. Those who contracted COVID-19 after the 3rd dose are also eligible and can receive the 4th dose if they wish, but it must be at least 3 months since the confirmed infection date.

Vaccination can be done on the same day by reserving leftover vaccines via KakaoTalk or Naver, or by calling medical institutions to be placed on a standby list.

Advance reservations can be made through the Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s vaccination reservation system website or by phone. Vaccinations through reservations will begin on the 1st of next month.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna are recommended, but if the individual does not want them, the Novavax vaccine can also be chosen. The 4th dose vaccine dosage is the same as that of the 3rd dose.

The Promotion Team emphasized, "Despite the spread of new variants such as BA.5, the current vaccines maintain over 50% effectiveness in preventing severe illness and death," and "at this point before the resurgence, the 4th dose is necessary to prevent severe illness and death among high-risk groups and to protect the health of oneself and family."

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