Over 130,000 People in Their 50s Booked on First Day of 4th Dose... Cumulative Booking Rate Only 2.8%

Lee Gi-il, the 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, is receiving the 4th dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic-level medical institution in Sejong City on the afternoon of the 18th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] On the first day that the COVID-19 vaccine 4th dose eligibility was expanded to include those aged 50 and above, about 130,000 people in this age group expressed their intention to receive the 4th dose.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on the 18th, by 4 p.m. that day, 131,482 people in their 50s had applied for advance reservations for the 4th dose.

This number includes only those in their 50s based on age criteria, excluding individuals aged 18 and above with underlying conditions or facility workers. The KDCA also did not count same-day vaccinations from leftover vaccines administered through KakaoTalk, Naver, or medical institution standby lists due to concerns of underestimation.

The cumulative number of reservations, including those in their 50s who are immunocompromised or residents/workers in infection-vulnerable facilities and have already received the 4th dose, reached 241,892, with a reservation rate of 2.8% of the total population in their 50s.

Earlier, as signs of a COVID-19 resurgence appeared due to the spread of a highly transmissible new variant, the government expanded the 4th dose vaccination eligibility, which had been limited to those aged 60 and above, residents of nursing hospitals/facilities, residents of mental health promotion facilities, and immunocompromised individuals, to include those in their 50s, individuals aged 18 and above with underlying conditions, and residents of facilities for the disabled and homeless.

Accordingly, from this day forward, the 4th dose vaccination targets include all age groups aged 50 and above, immunocompromised and individuals with underlying conditions aged 18 and above, and residents, inpatients, and workers of infection-vulnerable facilities (nursing hospitals/facilities, mental health promotion facilities, facilities for the disabled and homeless).

The newly added 50s age group corresponds to those born between 1963 and 1972, estimated to be about 8.57 million people.

Newly eligible individuals can receive same-day vaccinations through leftover vaccines or make advance reservations starting today. Vaccinations for those who make advance reservations can be received from August 1.

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